How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist School near Oswego New York
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Oswego NY, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oswego residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. 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 regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Oswego NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering 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 get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two pathways available to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, 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 want to focus on just one area, for example 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 Oswego NY business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty programs are convenient for Oswego NY students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Oswego NY home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 13126 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Oswego NY businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating 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 businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Oswego NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the New York school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance 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 specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a hair salon in Oswego NY, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Oswego NY employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Oswego NY?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Oswego NY area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Oswego, New York
Oswego /ɒsˈwiːɡoʊ/ is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York". It is the county seat of Oswego County.
The city of Oswego is bordered by the towns of Oswego, Minetto, and Scriba to the west, south, and east, respectively, and by Lake Ontario to the north. Oswego Speedway is a nationally known automobile racing facility. The State University of New York at Oswego is located just outside the city on the lake. Oswego is the namesake for communities in Montana, Oregon, Illinois, and Kansas.
The British established a trading post in the area in 1722 and fortified it with a log palisade later called Fort Oswego, named after the native Iroquois place name "os-we-go" meaning "pouring out place"[4]. The first fortification on the site of the current Fort Ontario was built by the British in 1755 and called the "Fort of the Six Nations".
Pick the Right Beauty College near Oswego NY
Locating and enrolling in the right beauty school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied 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 test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Oswego NY.
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