How to Choose a Cosmetology College near Youngstown Ohio
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Youngstown OH, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Youngstown residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as 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 talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Youngstown OH beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 already stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two pathways offered to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Youngstown OH business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Ohio Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.
Online Cosmetology Classes
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Youngstown OH students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Youngstown OH residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options 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 collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 44501 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Youngstown OH 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 college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Youngstown OH salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Ohio school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Youngstown OH, 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s crucial that she or he gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Youngstown OH employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most 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 might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Youngstown OH?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Youngstown OH area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in and the county seat of Mahoning County in the U.S. state of Ohio, with small portions extending into Trumbull County. According to the 2010 Census, Youngstown had a city proper population of 66,982, while the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area it anchors contained 565,773 people in Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio, and Mercer County in Pennsylvania.
Youngstown is located on the Mahoning River, approximately 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Cleveland and 61 miles (100 km) northwest of Pittsburgh. Despite having its own media market, Youngstown is often included in commercial and cultural depictions of both Northeast Ohio as well as the Greater Pittsburgh Region due to these proximities. Youngstown is also the midway between New York City and Chicago via Interstate 80.
The city was named for John Young, an early settler from Whitestown, New York, who established the community's first sawmill and gristmill. Youngstown is in a region of America that is often referred to as the Rust Belt. Traditionally known as a center of steel production, Youngstown was forced to redefine itself when the U.S. steel industry fell into decline in the 1970s, leaving communities throughout the region without major industry. The city has experienced a decline of over 60% of its population since 1959. Youngstown also falls within the Appalachian Ohio region, among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
Enroll in the Right Beauty School near Youngstown OH
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce 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 prepared to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Youngstown OH.
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