How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Clay New York
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Clay NY, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat 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 discuss a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Clay residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Clay NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two options 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily 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 prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Clay NY business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online beauty programs are accommodating for Clay NY students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Clay NY home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 13041 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Clay NY employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Clay NY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some 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, such as 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 goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Clay NY, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking 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? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Clay NY businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Clay NY?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Clay NY area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Clay, New York
Clay is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,206, making it Syracuse's largest suburb. The town was named after Henry Clay, statesman.
Clay is northwest of Syracuse, New York. It is the largest town in the county, contains part of the village of North Syracuse, and is an affluent suburb of Syracuse. It contains the major retail strip of Syracuse's northwesterly suburbs, along New York State Route 31 (NY-31), including the Great Northern Mall.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 48.8 square miles (126 km2), of which 48.0 square miles (124 km2) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2) of it (1.60%) is water.
Pick the Right Cosmetology College near Clay NY
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget 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 data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, 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 choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Clay NY.
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