Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools San Antonio TX

How to Enroll In a Beauty College near San Antonio Texas

nail technicians training at San Antonio TX beauty school Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near San Antonio TX, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your San Antonio residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

San Antonio TX makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use 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 basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only San Antonio TX beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties 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 a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

San Antonio TX hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially 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 usually require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily 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 prefer to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other San Antonio TX business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Texas Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Beauty Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in San Antonio TX Online beauty schools are advantageous for San Antonio TX students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Schools

Questions to ask San Antonio TX beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your San Antonio TX residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 78201 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many San Antonio TX businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals 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 field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with San Antonio TX salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Texas 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 Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in San Antonio TX, 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 seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that she or he receives help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with San Antonio TX employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near San Antonio TX?

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

San Antonio

San Antonio (/ˌsæn ænˈtoʊnioʊ/; from Spanish, "Saint Anthony"), officially the City of San Antonio, is the seventh most populous city in the United States and the second most populous city in both Texas and the Southern United States.[5] Founded as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost in 1718, the city became the first chartered civil settlement in Texas in 1731, making it the state's oldest municipality.[6][7] The city's deep history is contrasted with its rapid growth: it was the fastest-growing of the top ten largest cities in the United States from 2000 to 2010, and the second from 1990 to 2000.[8][9] Straddling the regional divide between South and Central Texas, San Antonio anchors the southwestern corner of an urban megaregion colloquially known as the "Texas Triangle".

San Antonio serves as the seat of Bexar County; recent annexations have extended the city's boundaries into Medina County and, for a tiny area near the city of Garden Ridge, into Comal County.[10][11] Since San Antonio was founded during the Spanish Colonial Era, it has a church (San Fernando Cathedral) in its center, on the main civic plaza in front, a characteristic of many Spanish-founded cities, towns, and villages in Spain and Latin America. As with many other Western urban centers, areas outside the city limits are sparsely populated.

San Antonio is the center of the San Antonio–New Braunfels metropolitan statistical area. Commonly called Greater San Antonio, the metro area has a population of 2,473,974 based on the 2017 U.S. census estimate, making it the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the United States and third-largest in Texas.[12] Growth along the Interstate 35 and Interstate 10 corridors to the north, west and east make it likely that the metropolitan area will continue to expand.

Find the Right Cosmetology Training Program near San Antonio TX

San Antonio TX barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is important to obtain the necessary 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. Make sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in San Antonio TX.