How to Select a Cosmetology School near Cape Girardeau Missouri
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Cape Girardeau MO, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Cape Girardeau residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use 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 can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Cape Girardeau MO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names 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 earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Cape Girardeau MO business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Courses
Online cosmetology programs are advantageous for Cape Girardeau MO students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Cape Girardeau MO home, 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 63701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Cape Girardeau MO businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Cape Girardeau MO salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular 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 pick 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 vision is to launch a hair salon in Cape Girardeau MO, 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 seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Cape Girardeau MO employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of beauty schools offer 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 identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Cape Girardeau MO?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Cape Girardeau MO area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau (/ˈkeɪp dʒɪˈrɑːrdoʊ/, French: Cap-Girardeau [kap ʒiʁaʁdo] ( listen); colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is located approximately 115 miles (185 km) southeast of St. Louis and 175 miles (282 km) north of Memphis. As of the 2017 United States Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 39,151, making it the 17th-largest city in Missouri,[3] and the largest city in Southeast Missouri. An emerging college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri State University.
The city is named after Jean Baptiste de Girardot, who established a temporary trading post in the area around 1733. He was a French soldier stationed at Kaskaskia between 1704–1720 in the French colony of La Louisiane. The "Cape" in the city name referred to a rock promontory overlooking the Mississippi River; it was later destroyed by railroad construction.[6] As early as 1765, a bend in the Mississippi River, about 60 miles (97 km) south of the French village of Ste. Genevieve, had been referred to as Cape Girardot or Girardeau.
The settlement of Girardeau is said to date from 1793 when the Spanish government, which had acquired Louisiana in 1764 following the French defeat in the Seven Years' War, granted Louis Lorimier, a French-Canadian, the right to establish a trading post. This gave him trading privileges and a large tract of land surrounding his post. Lorimier was made commandant of the district and prospered from the returns on his land sales and trade with indigenous peoples, such as the Ozark Bluff Dwellers and the Mississippian people.
Enroll in the Right Beauty College near Cape Girardeau MO
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Cape Girardeau MO.
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