How to Select a Beauty College near Concord Virginia
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Concord VA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Concord home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing 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 talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through 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 word cosmetics, but basically 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 go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Concord VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to 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 employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two pathways available to get 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 generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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. Briefer programs are offered if you wish 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 operate a parlor or other Concord VA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Concord VA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Concord VA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 24538 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Concord VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetology college 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 testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Concord VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select 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 vision is to launch a hair salon in Concord VA, 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 provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Concord VA businesses that are searching for skilled 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 wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Concord VA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Concord VA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War.[9] The battles were fought on April 19, 1775 in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy (present-day Arlington), and Cambridge. They marked the outbreak of armed conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and its thirteen colonies in America.
In late 1774, Colonial leaders adopted the Suffolk Resolves in resistance to the alterations made to the Massachusetts colonial government by the British parliament following the Boston Tea Party. The colonial assembly responded by forming a Patriot provisional government known as the Massachusetts Provincial Congress and calling for local militias to train for possible hostilities. The Colonial government exercised effective control of the colony outside of British-controlled Boston. In response, the British government in February 1775 declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion.
About 700 British Army regulars in Boston, under Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith, were given secret orders to capture and destroy Colonial military supplies reportedly stored by the Massachusetts militia at Concord. Through effective intelligence gathering, Patriot leaders had received word weeks before the expedition that their supplies might be at risk and had moved most of them to other locations. On the night before the battle, warning of the British expedition had been rapidly sent from Boston to militias in the area by several riders, including Paul Revere and Samuel Prescott, with information about British plans. The initial mode of the Army's arrival by water was signaled from the Old North Church in Boston to Charlestown using lanterns to communicate "one if by land, two if by sea".
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology College near Concord VA
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Concord VA.
Other Beautiful Locations in Virginia
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
