Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Catawba NC

How to Choose a Beauty College near Catawba North Carolina

nail technicians training at Catawba NC beauty school Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Catawba NC, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference 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 discuss a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Catawba residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

Catawba NC makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded 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 look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Catawba NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many 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 most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

Catawba NC hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Catawba NC business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Catawba NC Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Catawba NC students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Programs

Questions to ask Catawba NC beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Catawba NC home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental 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 college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 28609 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Catawba NC employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any beauty school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Catawba NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 launch a hair salon in Catawba NC, 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s imperative that he or she receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Catawba NC businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid 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 office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Catawba NC?

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

Catawba College

Catawba College is a private, coeducational college in Salisbury, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1851 by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in Newton, the college adopted its name from its county of origin, Catawba County, before moving to its current home of Salisbury in 1925. Catawba College still holds loose ties with the successor to the Reformed Church, the United Church of Christ, and offers over 70 undergraduate degrees.

Catawba College was founded by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in the United States in 1851. The years following the opening of the college were years of growing prosperity for the school, but the Civil War changed this as funds and students became less available. During the war years, the college became an academy, operating as Catawba High School from 1865 until 1885, whereupon it resumed operations under its original charter as Catawba College. Catawba became coeducational in 1890. Even with the addition of women to the student body, the College struggled to overcome the depletion brought on by the war. Responding to the offer of a partially constructed dormitory-administration building and several acres of land in Salisbury, trustee, college, and church officials closed the campus in Newton in 1923 and re-opened in Salisbury in 1925.

Catawba College offers over 70 fields of study in a variety of disciplines. Special programs and college centers include the Lilly Center for Vocation and Values, the Writing Center, the Math Center, Sustainable Catawba, Volunteer Catawba, the Center for the Environment, Career Services, the Curriculum Materials Center, Summer School, and Winter Term.[3]

Choose the Right Beauty College near Catawba NC

Catawba NC barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, 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 examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Catawba NC.