Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Odessa TX

How to Select a Beauty School near Odessa Texas

nail technicians training at Odessa TX beauty schoolSince you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Odessa TX, the task starts to search for 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 selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Odessa home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh 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 types of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Odessa TX makeup ar4tist applying makeupCosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Odessa TX beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

Odessa TX hairdresser cutting hairThere are primarily two pathways offered to obtain 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 usually take 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Odessa TX business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Texas Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Beauty Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Odessa TXOnline cosmetology programs are convenient for Odessa TX students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Programs

Questions to ask Odessa TX beauty schoolsBelow is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Odessa TX home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 79760 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Odessa TX businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any beauty institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Odessa TX 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 considered. And finally, contact the Texas school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select 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 vision is to launch a hair salon in Odessa TX, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that he or she gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Odessa TX employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Odessa TX?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Odessa TX area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Odessa, Texas

Odessa /ˌoʊˈdɛsə/ is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small section of the city extends into Midland County.[3] Odessa's population was 118,918 at the 2010 census, making it the 29th-most populous city in Texas; estimates as of July 2015 indicate a population of 159,436 in the city.[4] It is the principal city of the Odessa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Ector County. The metropolitan area is also a component of the larger Midland–Odessa combined statistical area, which had a 2010 census population of 278,801; a recent report from the United States Census Bureau estimates that the combined population as of July 2015 is 320,513.[4][5] In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Odessa as the third-fastest growing small city in the United States.[6]

Odessa was founded in 1881 as a water stop and cattle-shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway. The first post office opened in 1885. Odessa became the county seat of Ector County in 1891 when the county was first organized. It was incorporated as a city in 1927, after oil was discovered in Ector County on the Connell Ranch southwest of Odessa.[8]

With the opening of the Penn Field in 1929, and the Cowden Field in 1930, oil became a major draw for new residents. In 1925, the population was just 750; by 1929, it had risen to 5,000. For the rest of the 20th century, the city's population and economy grew rapidly during each of a succession of oil booms (roughly in the 1930s–50s, 1970s, and 2010s), often with accompanying contractions during the succeeding busts (particularly in the 1960s and 1980s).[8]

Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Odessa TX

Odessa TX barber blow drying client's hairChoosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when 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 Odessa TX.

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