Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Lincoln VA

How to Choose a Cosmetologist School near Lincoln Virginia

nail technicians training at Lincoln VA beauty school Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Lincoln VA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lincoln home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other factors 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 within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Lincoln VA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lincoln VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional 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 formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Lincoln VA hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two options 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 finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major 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 likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Lincoln VA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Cosmetology Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Lincoln VA Online beauty classes are convenient for Lincoln VA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as short 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’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select 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 impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Training Courses

Questions to ask Lincoln VA beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lincoln VA home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 20160 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Lincoln 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? Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional 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. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lincoln VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Lincoln 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 deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning 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 site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s crucial that she or he gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Lincoln VA businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lincoln VA?

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

Lincoln, Nebraska

Lincoln is the capital of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers 94.267 square miles (244.150 km2) with a population of 284,736 in 2017. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 71st-largest in the United States. The city is the economic and cultural anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area in the southeastern part of the state called the Lincoln Metropolitan and Lincoln-Beatrice Combined Statistical Areas. The statistical area is home to 353,120 people, making it the 106th-largest combined statistical area in the United States.

The city was founded in 1856 as the village of Lancaster on the wild salt marshes of what was to become Lancaster County. In 1867, the village of Lancaster became Nebraska's state capital and was renamed Lincoln. The Bertram G. Goodhue designed state capitol building was completed in 1932 and is the second tallest capitol in the United States. As the city is the seat of government for the state of Nebraska, the state and the United States government are major employers. The University of Nebraska was founded in Lincoln in 1867. The university is the largest in Nebraska with 26,079 students enrolled and is the city's third-largest employer. Other primary employers fall within the service and manufacturing industries, including a growing high-tech sector. The region makes up a part of what is known as the greater Midwest Silicon Prairie.

Designated as a "refugee-friendly" city by the U.S. Department of State in the 1970s, the city was the twelfth-largest resettlement site per capita in the United States by 2000. Refugee Vietnamese, Karen (Burmese ethnic minority), Sudanese and Yazidi (Iraqi ethnic minority) people, as well as other refugees from Iraq & the Middle East, have been resettled in the city. Lincoln Public Schools during the school year of 2017–18 provided support for approximately 3,100 students from 100 countries, who spoke 50 different languages.

Find the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Lincoln VA

Lincoln VA barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Lincoln VA.