How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist College near Prineville Oregon
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Prineville OR, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat 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 type of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Prineville home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost 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 require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Prineville OR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes 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 earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example 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 and Certificates
There are basically two options offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Prineville OR business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Oregon Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Programs
Online beauty programs are convenient for Prineville OR students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Prineville OR residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 97754 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Prineville OR businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good 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 companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Prineville OR salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Oregon school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Prineville OR, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check 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 allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Prineville OR employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask 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 Available? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Prineville OR?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Prineville OR area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Prineville, Oregon
Prineville is a city in and the seat of Crook County, Oregon, United States.[6] It was named for the first merchant located in the present location, Barney Prine. The population was 9,253 at the 2010 census.[7]
Prineville was founded in 1877 when Monroe Hodges filed the original plat for the city. The post office for the community had been established with the name of Prine on April 13, 1871, but changed to Prineville on December 23, 1872. The city was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on October 23, 1880,[8] and obtained its first high school in 1902.
Long the major town in central Oregon, Prineville was snubbed in 1911 when the railroad tycoons James J. Hill and Edward H. Harriman bypassed the city as they laid track south from The Dalles. In a period when the presence of a railroad meant the difference between prosperity and the eventual fate as a ghost town, in a 1917 election, Prineville residents voted 355 to 1 to build their own railway, and raised the money to connect their town to the main line 19 miles (31 km) away.
Select the Right Cosmetology Program near Prineville OR
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Prineville OR.
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