How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Greenwood Mississippi
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Greenwood MS, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Greenwood residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Greenwood MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two options offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Greenwood MS business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetologist Classes
Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Greenwood MS students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Greenwood MS residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 38930 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Greenwood MS businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Greenwood MS salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Mississippi school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Greenwood MS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s crucial that she or he gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Greenwood MS businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Greenwood MS?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Greenwood MS area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Greenwood, Mississippi
Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi,[2] located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta, approximately 96 miles north of the state capital, Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of the riverport of Memphis, Tennessee. It was a center of cotton planter culture in the 19th century.
The population was 16,087 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Greenwood Micropolitan Statistical Area. Greenwood developed at the confluence of the Tallahatchie and the Yalobusha rivers, which form the Yazoo River. Throughout the 1960s, Greenwood was the site of major protests and conflicts as African Americans worked to achieve racial integration, voter registration and access during the civil rights movement.
The flood plain of the Mississippi River has long been an area rich in vegetation and wildlife, fed by the Mississippi and its numerous tributaries. Long before Europeans migrated to America, the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian nations settled in the Delta's bottomlands and throughout what is now central Mississippi. They were descended from indigenous peoples who had lived in the area for thousands of years. The Mississippian culture had built earthwork mounds in this area and throughout the Mississippi Valley, beginning about 950CE. Their culture thrived for hundreds of years.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist School near Greenwood MS
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Greenwood MS.
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