How to Enroll In a Beauty College near Stillwater Oklahoma
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Stillwater OK, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Stillwater residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Stillwater OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are primarily two pathways available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Stillwater OK 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 decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Stillwater OK students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since 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 covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Stillwater OK home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 74074 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Stillwater OK businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Stillwater OK salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Oklahoma 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, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Stillwater OK, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s crucial that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Stillwater OK employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Stillwater OK?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Stillwater OK area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in northeast Oklahoma at the intersection of US-177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of 2012, the city population was estimated to be 46,560, making it the tenth largest city in Oklahoma. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical Area which had a population of 78,399 according to the 2012 census estimate. Stillwater was part of the first Oklahoma Land Run held on April 22, 1889 when the Unassigned Lands were opened for settlement and became the core of the new Oklahoma Territory. The city charter was adopted on August 24, 1889.[5] Stillwater is home to the main campus of Oklahoma State University as well as Northern Oklahoma College - Stillwater, Meridian Technology Center, and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.
Stillwater has a diverse economy with a foundation in aerospace, agribusiness, biotechnology, optoelectronics, printing and publishing, and software and standard manufacturing. The city operates under a council-manager government system. The city's largest employer is Oklahoma State University. It was one of the 100 Best Places to Live in 2010, according to CNN Money Magazine.[6]
The north-central region of Oklahoma became part of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. In 1832, author and traveler Washington Irving provided the first recorded description of the area around Stillwater in his book A Tour on the Prairies. He wrote of “a glorious prairie spreading out beneath the golden beams of an autumnal sun. The deep and frequent traces of buffalo, showed it to be a one of their favorite grazing grounds.”[8]
Pick the Right Cosmetology College near Stillwater OK
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Stillwater OK.
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