Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Northport NY

How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Northport New York

nail technicians training at Northport NY beauty school Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Northport NY, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Northport residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding 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 kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Northport NY makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may 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 take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Northport NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As already stated, in most states practicing 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. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

Northport NY hairdresser cutting hair 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 typically call for 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Northport NY business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Beauty Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Northport NY Online beauty classes are convenient for Northport NY students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Training Programs

Questions to ask Northport NY beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Northport NY residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 11768 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Northport NY businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Northport NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Northport NY, 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 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 volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Northport NY employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Northport NY?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Northport NY area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Northport, New York

Northport is a historic maritime village in the Town of Huntington on Long Island, New York. Initially designated as Great Cow Harbour by 17th-century English colonists, the area was officially renamed Northport in 1837. In 1898, in order to localize governance Northport was incorporated as a village.

Northport is known for its Victorian era village center, still bearing trolley rails from a long since discontinued streetcar which would transport village residents to the Long Island Rail Road station in East Northport. The village Main Street runs from the Village Green along the harbor-front to the former hamlet of Vernon Valley, which has since been subsumed by the neighboring community of East Northport. As of 2010, the village has a population of around 7,401[2] and is served by the Northport-East Northport School District.

The original inhabitants of the area now known as Northport were the Matinecocks, one of 13 Native American tribes of Long Island. The Matinecocks called this land Opcathontyche, which meant "wading place creek".[3] After Dutch interest a few years earlier, the land was sold by Chief Asharoken, head of the Matinecocks, to three Englishmen in 1656.[4]

Pick the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Northport NY

Northport NY barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Northport NY.