Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Salt Lake City UT

How to Select a Cosmetology School near Salt Lake City Utah

nail technicians training at Salt Lake City UT beauty school Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Salt Lake City UT, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Salt Lake City residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

Salt Lake City UT makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look 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 become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Salt Lake City UT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained 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 are known by many titles 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 previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Salt Lake City UT hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two avenues available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Salt Lake City UT business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Utah Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Cosmetology Schools

student attending cosmetology school online in Salt Lake City UT Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Salt Lake City UT students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools

Questions to ask Salt Lake City UT beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Salt Lake City UT residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably 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 narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 84101 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Salt Lake City UT businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Salt Lake City UT salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Utah school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a hair salon in Salt Lake City UT, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that she or he gets support in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Salt Lake City UT employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Salt Lake City UT?

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

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and the most populous municipality of the U.S. state of Utah. With an estimated population of 190,884 in 2014,[7] the city is the core of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a population of 1,153,340 (2014 estimate). Salt Lake City is further situated within a larger metropolis known as the Salt Lake City–Ogden–Provo Combined Statistical Area. This region is a corridor of contiguous urban and suburban development stretched along an approximately 120-mile (190 km) segment of the Wasatch Front, comprising a population of 2,423,912 as of 2014[update].[8] It is one of only two major urban areas in the Great Basin (the other is Reno, Nevada).

The world headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is located in Salt Lake City and the city's street grid system is based on the temple constructed by the Church at its center. The city was originally founded in 1847 by Brigham Young, and other followers of the Church, who were seeking to escape religious persecution in the mid-western United States. The Pioneers[disambiguation needed], as they would come to be known, at first encountered an arid, inhospitable valley that they then extensively irrigated and cultivated, thereby establishing the foundation to sustain the area's large population of today.

Due to its proximity to the Great Salt Lake, the city was originally named "Great Salt Lake City"; however, the word "great" was dropped from the official name in 1868 by the 17th Utah Territorial Legislature.[9]

Enroll in the Right Beauty Training Program near Salt Lake City UT

Salt Lake City UT barber blow drying client's hair Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Salt Lake City UT.