How to Select a Cosmetology College near Cortland New York
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Cortland NY, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you pick 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 might be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Cortland residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use 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 word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Cortland NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are basically two options available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Cortland NY business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty programs are advantageous for Cortland NY students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Cortland NY residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. 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 essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 13045 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 Cortland NY businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references 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 regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Cortland NY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in Cortland NY, then you want 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 need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that he or she gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Cortland NY employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Cortland NY?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Cortland NY area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Cortland, New York
Cortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, United States of America. Known as the Crown City, Cortland is located in New York's Southern Tier region. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 19,204.[2] It is the county seat of Cortland County.[3]
Cortland, settled in 1791, was made a village in 1853 (rechartered in 1864), and was incorporated as a city in 1900 as the 41st city in New York state. When the county was formed in 1808, Cortland vied with other villages and won the status of becoming the county seat. Known as the "Crown City" because of its location on a plain formed by the convergence of seven valleys, Cortland is situated at 1,130 feet (340 m) above sea level. Forty stars representing the 40 cities incorporated before Cortland circle the State of New York and Crown on the city's official seal. The seven points of the crown create seven valleys depicting Cortland's seven surrounding valleys. The 41st star in the center of the crown illustrates Cortland as the closest incorporated city to the geographic center of New York.
The leading industry in Cortland in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was the Wickwire Brothers wire drawing mill, noted for its production of wire hardware cloth for use as window screens. The extent of their wealth is commemorated in a pair of magnificent mansions. The Victorian Chateauesque style home of Chester Wickwire is now the 1890 House Museum & Center for Victorian Arts, while the 1912 home of Charles Wickwire is now owned and operated by the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association.[5] It is open to the public as well as being used by the Alumni Association to host college-related events and house visiting dignitaries.[6]
Find the Right Cosmetology School near Cortland NY
Locating and enrolling in the right beauty program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Cortland NY.
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