How to Choose a Beauty School near The Dalles Oregon
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near The Dalles OR, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your The Dalles home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only The Dalles OR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide range 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 must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are basically two pathways 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 require 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 available if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other The Dalles OR business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Oregon Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Beauty Programs
Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for The Dalles OR students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief 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 spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your The Dalles OR home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 97058 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous The Dalles OR employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively 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 excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with The Dalles 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 might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Oregon school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand 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 sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a hair salon in The Dalles OR, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s crucial that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with The Dalles OR employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 accessible to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near The Dalles OR?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater The Dalles OR area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles /ˈdælz/ is the county seat and largest city of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The population was 13,620 at the 2010 census, and is the largest city on the Oregon side along the Columbia River outside the Portland Metropolitan area.
The site of what is now the city of The Dalles was a major Indian trading center for at least 10,000 years. The general area is one of the continent's most significant archaeological regions.[6]Lewis and Clark camped near Mill Creek on October 25–27, 1805, and recorded the Indian name for the creek as Quenett.
The name of the city comes from the French word dalle, meaning either “sluice”, akin to English “dale” and German T[h]al, “valley”, or “flagstone”, referring to the columnar basalt rocks carved by the river,[7][8] in voyageur French used to refer to rapids), which was used by the French-Canadian employees of the North West Company to refer to the rapids of the Columbia River between the present-day city and Celilo Falls. Also in the same area was the Petite Dalles or Little Dalles, or Short Narrows. In French, "Les dalles" means "The slabs". When a river flows over hard flat rocks, it becomes shallow, and rapids are created.
Choose the Right Cosmetologist School near The Dalles OR
Finding and enrolling in the right beauty college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process 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 narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in The Dalles OR.
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