How to Find the Right Beauty College near Drewryville Virginia
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Drewryville VA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Drewryville home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Drewryville VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open 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 have many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues available to obtain 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 normally call for 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Drewryville VA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, 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 benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Beauty Courses
Online beauty schools are advantageous for Drewryville VA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Classes
Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Drewryville VA home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 23844 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Drewryville VA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Drewryville VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology 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 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 sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Drewryville VA, 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that he or she receives help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Drewryville VA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad 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. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of 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 cost, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Drewryville VA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Drewryville VA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Drewryville, Virginia
Choose the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Drewryville VA
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure 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 contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Drewryville VA.
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