How to Pick a Beauty College near Houlka Mississippi
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Houlka MS, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Houlka home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Houlka MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two pathways offered to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Houlka MS business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online cosmetology programs are advantageous for Houlka MS students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Houlka MS home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental 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 certified 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 38850 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 Houlka MS employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Houlka MS salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Mississippi school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Houlka 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 need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s important that he or she gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Houlka MS businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Houlka MS?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Houlka MS area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
New Houlka, Mississippi
New Houlka (/ˈhʌlkə/) is a town in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. It was founded in 1904 to take advantage of a railway line of the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad. Residents moved their buildings over from the original settlement, now referred to as "Old Houlka", located to the west. The population was 626 at the 2010 census.
Started around a fur trading post prior to 1794, Old Houlka is the oldest surviving settlement in north Mississippi.[4] In the 19th century, much of the land was developed for cotton plantations and the market town did good business.
The first American settlers arrived in the late 1700s and established a Chickasaw Agency House at Houlka for trading with the natives.[5] Agency representatives called the settlement "Holkey" in their earliest correspondence, which dates from 1794 after the United States gained independence from Great Britain.[4]
Find the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Houlka MS
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Houlka MS.
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