Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Durham NC

How to Select a Cosmetologist College near Durham North Carolina

nail technicians training at Durham NC beauty school Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Durham NC, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Durham home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

Durham NC makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with 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 look 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 kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Durham NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

Durham NC hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two pathways available to obtain 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 typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Durham NC business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Cosmetologist Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in Durham NC Online beauty schools are convenient for Durham NC students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs

Questions to ask Durham NC beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Durham NC residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must 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 each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 27701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Durham NC employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Durham NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on 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 desire is to start a hair salon in Durham NC, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes 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 school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Durham NC employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial help may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Durham NC?

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

Durham, North Carolina

Durham is a city in and the county seat of Durham County[6] in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 251,893 as of July 1, 2014, making it the 4th-most populous city in North Carolina, and the 78th-most populous city in the United States.[7] Durham is the core of the four-county Durham-Chapel Hill Metropolitan Area, which has a population of 542,710 as of U.S. Census 2014 Population Estimates. The US Office of Management and Budget also includes Durham as a part of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Combined Statistical Area, which has a population of 2,037,430 as of U.S. Census 2014 Population Estimates.[8]

The Eno and the Occoneechi, related to the Sioux and the Shakori, lived and farmed in the area which became Durham. They may have established a village named Adshusheer on the site. The Great Indian Trading Path has been traced through Durham, and Native Americans helped to mold the area by establishing settlements and commercial transportation routes.

In 1701, Durham's beauty was chronicled by the English explorer John Lawson, who called the area "the flower of the Carolinas." During the mid-1700s, Scots, Irish, and English colonists settled on land granted to George Carteret by King Charles I (for whom the Carolinas are named). Early settlers built gristmills, such as West Point, and worked the land.

Pick the Right Cosmetologist School near Durham NC

Durham NC barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate 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 good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Durham NC.