How to Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Whiteville North Carolina
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Whiteville NC, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Whiteville home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application 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 basically a cosmetic can be almost 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 take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Whiteville NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting 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 be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two options 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 take 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Whiteville NC business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Whiteville NC students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Whiteville NC home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 28472 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Whiteville NC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Whiteville NC salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult 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? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Whiteville NC, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Whiteville NC businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Whiteville NC?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Whiteville NC area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Whiteville, North Carolina
Whiteville is located in north-central Columbus County at 34°19′48″N 78°42′16″W / 34.33000°N 78.70444°W / 34.33000; -78.70444 (34.330096, -78.704533).[10] Combined U.S. Routes 74 and 76 bypass the city on its north side and lead east 46 miles (74 km) to Wilmington. US 74 leads northwest 32 miles (51 km) to Lumberton, and US 76 leads west 67 miles (108 km) to Florence, South Carolina. U.S. Route 701 passes through the west side of Whiteville, leading north 23 miles (37 km) to Elizabethtown and southwest 44 miles (71 km) to Conway, South Carolina.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 5,148 people, 2,191 households, and 1,336 families residing in the city. The population density was 957.5 people per square mile (369.5/km²). There were 2,450 housing units at an average density of 455.7 per square mile (175.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.51% White, 36.67% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.
There were 2,191 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 20.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.88.
Enroll in the Right Beauty Training Program near Whiteville NC
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin 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 proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Whiteville NC.
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