How to Pick a Beauty College near Strandburg South Dakota
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Strandburg SD, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Strandburg residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about 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 kinds of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically 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 form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Strandburg SD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two pathways available 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 normally take 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Strandburg SD business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the South Dakota Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Strandburg SD students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Strandburg SD residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 57265 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Strandburg SD businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Strandburg SD salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the South Dakota school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 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 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 desire is to open a hair salon in Strandburg SD, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that he or she receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Strandburg SD businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Strandburg SD?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Strandburg SD area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Strandburg, South Dakota
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 72 people, 27 households, and 17 families residing in the town. The population density was 900.0 inhabitants per square mile (347.5/km2). There were 36 housing units at an average density of 450.0 per square mile (173.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.8% White and 4.2% Native American.
There were 27 households of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.0% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.41.
The median age in the town was 37 years. 36.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 58.3% male and 41.7% female.
Select the Right Cosmetologist College near Strandburg SD
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Strandburg SD.
Other Beautiful Locations in South Dakota
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
