Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Chesapeake VA

How to Enroll In a Cosmetology School near Chesapeake Virginia

nail technicians training at Chesapeake VA beauty school Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Chesapeake VA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Chesapeake residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Chesapeake VA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be 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 you are licensed, the work settings include not only Chesapeake VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin 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 range 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 working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting 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 become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

Chesapeake VA hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two options available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Chesapeake VA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Beauty Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Chesapeake VA Online beauty classes are accommodating for Chesapeake VA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology 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 because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools

Questions to ask Chesapeake VA beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you should research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Chesapeake VA residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 23320 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Chesapeake VA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references 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. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Chesapeake VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 objective 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 start a hair salon in Chesapeake VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Chesapeake VA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Chesapeake VA?

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

Chesapeake, Virginia

Chesapeake is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 222,209;[3] in 2013, the population was estimated to be 232,977,[4] making it the third-most populous city in Virginia.

Chesapeake is included in the Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC MSA. One of the cities in the South Hampton Roads, Chesapeake was organized in 1963 by voter referendums approving the political consolidation of the city of South Norfolk with the remnants of the former Norfolk County, which dated to 1691. (Much of the territory of the county had been annexed by other cities.) Chesapeake is the second-largest city by land area in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the 17th-largest in the United States.

Chesapeake is a diverse city in which a few urban areas are located; it also has many square miles of protected farmland, forests, and wetlands, including a substantial portion of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Extending from the rural border with North Carolina to the harbor area of Hampton Roads adjacent to the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, Chesapeake is located on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. It has miles of waterfront industrial, commercial and residential property.

Pick the Right Beauty College near Chesapeake VA

Chesapeake VA barber blow drying client's hair Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Chesapeake VA.