Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools White Plains NY

How to Enroll In a Cosmetology College near White Plains New York

nail technicians training at White Plains NY beauty school Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near White Plains NY, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your White Plains home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

White Plains NY makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word 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 form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only White Plains NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names 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 earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

White Plains NY hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two pathways offered to get 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 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other White Plains NY business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the New York Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Cosmetologist Schools

student attending cosmetology school online in White Plains NY Online cosmetology programs are advantageous for White Plains NY students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Schools

Questions to ask White Plains NY beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your White Plains NY home, in addition to the price 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 narrowed 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 some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 10601 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous White Plains NY employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with White Plains NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact 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 Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in White Plains 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 seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that he or she receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with White Plains NY businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near White Plains NY?

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

White Plains, New York

White Plains is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is the county seat and commercial hub of Westchester, an affluent suburban county just north of New York City that is home to almost one million people. White Plains is located in south-central Westchester, with its downtown (Mamaroneck Avenue) 25 miles (40 km) north of Midtown Manhattan.

As of 2013, the city's total population was estimated to be 57,866, up from 56,853 at the 2010 census.[5] According to the city government, the daytime weekday population is estimated at 250,000.[6] The city was ranked third in the top 10 places to live in New York for 2014, according to national online real estate brokerage Movoto.[7]

At the time of the Dutch settlement of Manhattan in the early 17th century, the region had been used as farmland by the Weckquaeskeck tribe, members of the Mohican nation and was called "Quarropas".[8] To early traders it was known as "the White Plains", either from the groves of white balsam which are said to have covered it,[9] or from the heavy mist that local tradition suggests hovered over the swamplands near the Bronx River.[10] The first non-native settlement came in November 1683, when a party of Connecticut Puritans moved westward from an earlier settlement in Rye and bought about 4,400 acres (18 km2), presumably from the Weckquaeskeck.[8] However, John Richbell of Mamaroneck claimed to have earlier title to much of the territory through his purchase of a far larger plot extending 20 miles (32 km) inland, perhaps from a different tribe.[10] The matter wasn't settled until 1721, when a Royal Patent for White Plains was granted by King George II.[10]

Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist College near White Plains NY

White Plains NY barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is imperative to obtain 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. Make sure to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in White Plains NY.