How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Beaufort North Carolina
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Beaufort NC, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Beaufort home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous 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 anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Beaufort NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, open 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 names and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to 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 Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two avenues available to obtain 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 require 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Beaufort NC business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Courses
Online beauty schools are convenient for Beaufort NC students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Beaufort NC residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 28516 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Beaufort NC businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Beaufort NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty 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 often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in Beaufort NC, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots 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 campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that he or she gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Beaufort NC employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Beaufort NC?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Beaufort NC area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Beaufort, North Carolina
Beaufort (/ˈboʊfərt/ BOH-fərt)[4] is a town in and the county seat of Carteret County, North Carolina, United States.[5] Established in 1709 and incorporated in 1723, Beaufort is the third-oldest town in North Carolina (after Bath and Edenton).[6][7] On February 1, 2012, Beaufort was ranked as "America's Coolest Small Town" by readers of Budget Travel Magazine.[8]
Beaufort is located in North Carolina's "Inner Banks" region. The town is home to the North Carolina Maritime Museum, the Duke University Marine Laboratory (Nicholas School of the Environment), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research. It is also the location of the Rachel Carson Coastal Reserve.[10]
The Beaufort Historic District, Carteret County Home, Gibbs House, Jacob Henry House, and Old Burying Ground are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[11] In June 1718 Blackbeard the pirate ran his flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge and his sloop Adventure, aground near present-day Beaufort Inlet, NC.[12] The Queen Anne's Revenge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 with the reference number 04000148. Thirty two years later, in August 1750, at least three Spanish merchantmen ran aground in North Carolina during a hurricane. One of the three, the El Salvador, sank near Cape Lookout.[13]
Enroll in the Right Beauty School near Beaufort NC
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, 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 ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Beaufort NC.
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