How to Pick a Beauty School near Mount Solon Virginia
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Mount Solon VA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate 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 want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Mount Solon residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of 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, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Mount Solon VA 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 servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two options available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Mount Solon VA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties 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. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Schools
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Mount Solon VA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet 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.
What to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Mount Solon VA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, 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 may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 22843 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Mount Solon VA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetology 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 references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Mount Solon 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 may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as 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 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a hair salon in Mount Solon VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Mount Solon VA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out 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 wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Mount Solon VA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Mount Solon VA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Mount Solon, Virginia
Mount Solon is an unincorporated community in Augusta County, Virginia, United States, 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Harrisonburg and 20 miles (32 km) north of Staunton. Mount Solon is located in the 6th US Congressional District. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
The earliest settlers of Mount Solon were the Scots-Irish and the Germans. In 1799, James Cochran, of minor notable political fame further south in North Carolina, established a small mill and residence on the small creek, which would eventually run through the center of town. Owing to the mill's and the town's centrality between the two growing markets of Harrisonburg and Staunton, several businesses sprang up, and the once-isolated town began to prosper. In the early 1900s, there existed a Ford dealership, a gas station, the Mount Solon Bank, Cochran's mill, and a few other shops gathered around an expanding downtown. Moreover, the ill-fated Chesapeake and Western Railroad (C&W) ran an important rail line through Mount Solon, thus ensuring secure connections to a variety of external agricultural markets throughout the region. The Great Depression, however, severely impacted both the Shenandoah Valley and the town of Mount Solon. Following the closure of the old mill in the late 1930s, many townspeople left Mount Solon in search of better jobs. When the C&W withdrew its support, and was later consolidated with Norfolk Southern, the once-thriving little town became a ghost town virtually overnight. Today, only a few dilapidated local shops remain in town and few indicators of Mount Solon's former glory days remain intact. The Old Mount Solon Bank presents a fine example of postbellum architecture and the recently restored Lincoln Manor House at Spring Meadows Farm provides an excellent illustration of a Shenandoah Valley plantation house.
During the Valley Campaign of the American Civil War, General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson held a meeting with General Richard Ewell in Mount Solon on May 17, 1862. Gen. Jackson left the Battle of McDowell for Mount Solon where he met up with Gen. Ewell.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Program near Mount Solon VA
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Mount Solon VA.
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