How to Find the Right Cosmetology College near Butte Montana
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Butte MT, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Butte residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Butte MT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 already stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering 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 essentially two options 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 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Butte MT business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Montana Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Classes
Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for Butte MT students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight 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 numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Butte MT residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 59701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Butte MT businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Butte MT salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Montana 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 Specialty? Many beauty 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 often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a hair salon in Butte MT, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s crucial that he or she receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Butte MT businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Butte MT?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Butte MT area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Butte, Montana
Butte is a town in, and the county seat of Silver Bow County, Montana, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. The city covers 718 square miles (1,860 km2), and, according to the 2010 census, has a population of approximately 36,400, making it Montana's fifth largest city. It is served by Bert Mooney Airport with airport code BTM.
Established in 1864 as a mining camp in the northern Rocky Mountains on the Continental Divide, Butte experienced rapid development in the late-nineteenth century, and was Montana's first major industrial city.[5] In its heyday between the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, it was one of the largest copper boomtowns in the American West. Employment opportunities in the mines attracted surges of Asian and European immigrants, particularly the Irish; as of 2017, Butte has the largest population of Irish Americans per capita of any city in the United States.[6]
Butte was also the site of various historical events involving its mining industry and active labor unions and Socialist politics, the most famous of which was the labor riot of 1914. Despite the dominance of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, Butte was never a company town. Other major events in the city's history include the 1917 Speculator Mine disaster, the largest hard rock mining disaster in world history.
Select the Right Beauty School near Butte MT
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Butte MT.
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