How to Select a Cosmetology School near Southmont North Carolina

Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Southmont NC, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Southmont home. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term 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, almost all states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Southmont NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed 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 have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

There are basically two avenues available to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 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 likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Southmont NC business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetologist Courses

Online beauty classes are advantageous for Southmont NC students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Programs

Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Southmont NC residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional 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 school you pick 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 27351 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Southmont NC businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Southmont NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many 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, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Southmont NC, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that he or she receives aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Southmont NC businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Southmont NC?

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

Select the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Southmont NC

Picking and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect 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 contrast 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 exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Southmont NC.

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