How to Choose a Cosmetologist College near Kennett Missouri
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Kennett MO, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit confused 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 type of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Kennett home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Kennett MO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 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 instructed in all 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 likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Kennett MO business. Higher degrees are not common, 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 essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online beauty programs are accommodating for Kennett MO students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local 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 facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Kennett MO residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider 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 decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 63857 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Kennett MO employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Kennett MO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend 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 submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 start a hair salon in Kennett MO, then you want 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 deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Kennett MO businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Kennett MO?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Kennett MO area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Kennett, Missouri
Kennett is a city in and the county seat of Dunklin County, Missouri, United States.[6] The city is located in the southeast corner (or "Bootheel") of Missouri, 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Arkansas and 20 miles (32 km) from the Mississippi River. It has a population of 10,932 according to the 2010 Census.[7] It is the largest city in the Bootheel, a mostly agricultural area.
White settlers built log cabins in the area in the first half of the 19th century, naming their settlement Chilletecaux in honor of a Delaware Indian chief who lived there. The town was renamed Butler in the late 1840s. Due to mail delivery problems because of other jurisdictions named the same, the settlement was renamed as Kennett, in honor of the mayor of the city of St. Louis, Luther M. Kennett.[8]
In the 1890s, a railroad reached the area, stimulating growth in the town. In that same period, the state began construction of a massive drainage program in the St. Francis River basin, which was floodplain and wetlands. In the 20th century, after timber clearing, the area was developed for cultivation of cotton and other commodity crops.[9]
Select the Right Beauty College near Kennett MO
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Kennett MO.
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