How to Select a Cosmetology College near Mansfield Tennessee
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Mansfield TN, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Mansfield home. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Mansfield TN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance 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 and Certificates
There are primarily two pathways available to obtain 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 typically call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer 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 manage a salon or other Mansfield TN business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Tennessee 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 advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Classes
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Mansfield TN students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount 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 driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Mansfield TN home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, 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 may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 38236 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Mansfield TN employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Mansfield TN salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Tennessee 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 Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Mansfield TN, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Mansfield TN employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Mansfield TN?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Mansfield TN area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Brian Mansfield
In 1984, Mansfield received a bachelor's degree cum laude from Berklee College of Music.[2] From 1984 to 1987 he attended Belmont University in Nashville, taking classes in journalism and the music industry.
From 1988 to 1991, Mansfield was entertainment editor at Nashville Scene.[2] He then began working as a freelance reporter covering music for The Tennessean in 1993. From 1993 to 1997, Mansfield was the Nashville editor of New Country magazine.[3][4] He was Nashville editor of CountryNow.com from 1997 to 1999, then a senior editor at CD Now from 1999-2003.
In addition to his 18 years as a music writer and critic for USA Today, from 2004 to 2014, Mansfield was the writer/producer of a syndicated weekly radio program about the Grand Ole Opry called America's Opry Weekend for American radio network Dial Global Radio Networks, which was syndicated by Westwood One. Starting in 2009, Mansfield has produced a weekly live concert series for the Grand Ole Opry called Opry Country Classics.[5]
Choose the Right Cosmetology Program near Mansfield TN
Picking and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Mansfield TN.
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