How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Whitfield Mississippi
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Whitfield MS, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Whitfield home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Whitfield MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing 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 working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are primarily two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Whitfield MS business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Whitfield MS students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Whitfield MS home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 39193 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Whitfield MS businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Whitfield MS salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Mississippi school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Whitfield MS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that he or she gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Whitfield MS businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most 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. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Whitfield MS?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Whitfield MS area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Lynn Whitfield
Lynn Whitfield (née Butler-Smith; born May 6, 1953) is an American actress and producer. She began her acting career in television and theatre, before progressing to supporting roles in film. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie and received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her performance as Josephine Baker in the HBO biographical drama film The Josephine Baker Story (1991).
Whitfield spent her career after breakthrough performance as Josephine Baker playing the leading roles in a number of made for television movies in the 1990s, and had several starring roles in films, include performances in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996), Gone Fishin' (1997), Eve's Bayou (1997), Stepmom (1998), Head of State (2003), Madea's Family Reunion (2006) and The Women (2008). Whitfield also starred in a number of smaller movies in the 2000s and 2010s. In 2016, she began starring as villainous Lady Mae Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf. Whitfield has won five NAACP Image Awards.
Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the daughter of Jean (née Butler)who is African-American, an officer of a finance agency, and Valerian Smith -who is Creole, a dentist.[1] She is the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. Her dentist father was instrumental in developing Lynn's initial interest in acting as he was a prime figure in forming community theater in her native Baton Rouge. First garnering attention on the stage by studying and performing with the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C, she married one of the company's co-founders and pioneers of black theatre, playwright/director/actor Vantile Whitfield in 1974. She eventually moved to New York and appeared off-Broadway in such shows as The Great Macdaddy and Showdown before earning acclaim in the 1977 Los Angeles production of the landmark play 'for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf' co-starring alongside Alfre Woodard.[2]
Pick the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Whitfield MS
Choosing and enrolling in the right beauty school is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Whitfield MS.
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