Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools South Houston TX

How to Find the Right Cosmetologist School near South Houston Texas

nail technicians training at South Houston TX beauty school Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near South Houston TX, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Houston residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about 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.

What is Cosmetology

South Houston TX makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only South Houston TX beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

South Houston TX hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially 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 require 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other South Houston TX business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Texas Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetologist Training

student attending cosmetology school online in South Houston TX Online beauty programs are accommodating for South Houston TX students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Programs

Questions to ask South Houston TX beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your South Houston TX residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 77587 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of South Houston TX employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with South Houston TX salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Texas school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a hair salon in South Houston TX, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that he or she receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with South Houston TX businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near South Houston TX?

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

South Houston, Texas

South Houston is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, within Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area and Harris County. The population was 16,983 at the 2010 census.[3] It is bordered by the cities of Houston and Pasadena, and geographically located southeast of Houston.

C.S. Woods of the Western Land Company founded the settlement of Dumont in 1907. A post office appeared in 1910. In 1913 Dumont was incorporated as the city of South Houston.[4] Because of the 1913 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate South Houston's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were unincorporated.[5] South Houston's initial industrial activity consisted of shipping produce along the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad. The hurricane of 1915 destroyed many of the local industries. The establishment of the Houston Ship Channel resulted in the establishment of manufacturing industries inland, including in South Houston. Between the 1940s and the early 1960s South Houston found rapid population growth. The city had 7,523 inhabitants in 1960. In 1980 South Houston had 11,782 inhabitants and 303 businesses. In 1990 14,207 inhabitants lived in South Houston.[4]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 15,833 people, 4,593 households, and 3,697 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 33% White, 1.04% African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 27.74% from other races, and 4.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 77.93% of the population.

Enroll in the Right Beauty School near South Houston TX

South Houston TX barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in South Houston TX.