How to Pick a Cosmetologist College near Lake City Tennessee
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Lake City TN, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the proper 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 somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lake City residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as 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 talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lake City TN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are basically two pathways offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually 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 available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Lake City TN business. More advanced 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 decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Tennessee Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Lake City TN students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Degree Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Lake City TN residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you select 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 37769 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lake City TN businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lake City TN salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Tennessee school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Lake City TN, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that she or he receives aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Lake City TN businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lake City TN?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Lake City TN area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Rocky Top, Tennessee
Rocky Top (formerly Coal Creek and Lake City) is a city in Anderson and Campbell counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, northwest of Knoxville. The population was 1,781 at the 2010 census.[6] Most of the community is in Anderson County and is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area. On June 26, 2014, the city officially changed its name from Lake City to Rocky Top, after a last-ditch effort by the copyright owners of the song "Rocky Top" was denied by a federal court.[7]
The town was originally named Coal Creek when it was founded in the early 19th century, after the 1798 Treaty of Tellico opened the area to settlement,[8] taking its name from the stream that runs through the town. Coal Creek and the nearby town of Briceville were the site of a major lockout of coal miners in 1891, which resulted in the town of Coal Creek being occupied by the state militia for over a year after miners attempted to force an end to the use of unpaid convict labor in the mines. This labor struggle, known as the Coal Creek War, was eventually resolved in the coal miners' favor with the abolition of Tennessee's convict labor program. The Fraterville Mine disaster of 1902 occurred nearby, in the village of Fraterville.
The town adopted the name "Lake City" in 1936 after the Tennessee Valley Authority's completion of nearby Norris Dam formed an artificial lake, Norris Lake. Some area residents, including the nonprofit Coal Creek Watershed Foundation, urged a return to the old name of "Coal Creek" to commemorate the community's heritage.[9]
Choose the Right Beauty Vocational School near Lake City TN
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Lake City TN.
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