How to Select a Cosmetology School near Greenville Missouri
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Greenville MO, the task starts to locate 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 selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Greenville home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other factors 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 thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Greenville MO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work 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 most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few 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, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two options available to obtain 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 finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Greenville MO business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty schools are convenient for Greenville MO students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Greenville MO home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below 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 important to make sure that the cosmetology school you choose 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 63944 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Greenville MO employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Greenville MO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Greenville MO, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Greenville MO businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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 Offered? 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. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might 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 meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Greenville MO?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Greenville MO area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Greenville, Missouri
Greenville is a small city located on U.S. Highway 67 near the intersection with Route D and E in Wayne County, Missouri in the United States along the St. Francis River. The population was 511 at the 2010 census. Greenville was incorporated and founded as the county seat of Wayne County in 1819.[6]
Greenville was named after Fort Greene Ville (now Greenville), Ohio, the site where General Anthony Wayne signed a treaty with the Native Americans after defeating them in the Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20, 1794.[7] This was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War. Wayne County was named for this military hero and Greenville was named for the place he was most famous for. Incidentally, Fort Greene Ville, Ohio, was named after Nathaniel Greene, a friend of Wayne.
In 1826, Greenville flooded. On August 10, 1832, the first post office opened. Confederate Brigadier General William J. Hardee and officers Patrick Cleburne, Thomas C. Hindman, and Basil W. Duke along with about 800 men were stationed close to Greenville near the outset of the Civil War until they began to retreat to Randolph County, Arkansas on August 28, 1861. On July 20th of 1862, a camp of two companies of the 12th Missouri State Militia was attacked at daylight, surprising the camp, taking most of their rifles, 16 Savage revolvers, all of their horses, 50 pairs of holster pistols, and killing four of their men.[8]
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology School near Greenville MO
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile 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 sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Greenville MO.
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