How to Enroll In a Beauty School near Lauderdale Mississippi
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Lauderdale MS, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lauderdale home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use 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 word cosmetics, but really 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, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lauderdale MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting 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 become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues available to obtain 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Lauderdale 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. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Courses
Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Lauderdale MS students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Lauderdale MS residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 39335 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lauderdale MS businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good 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 along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Lauderdale MS salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Mississippi school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Lauderdale MS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s crucial that she or he receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Lauderdale MS businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lauderdale MS?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Lauderdale MS area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Lauderdale County, Mississippi
Lauderdale County is a county located on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,261.[1] The county seat is Meridian.[2] The county is named for Colonel James Lauderdale, who was killed at the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812.[3]
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 78,161 people, 29,990 households, and 20,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 111 people per square mile (43/km²). There were 33,418 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 60.15% White, 38.18% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 1.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 29,990 households out of which 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.70% were married couples living together, 18.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06.
Enroll in the Right Beauty College near Lauderdale MS
Choosing and enrolling in the right beauty college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Lauderdale MS.
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