How to Find the Right Beauty School near Pittsville Virginia
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Pittsville VA, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused 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 kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Pittsville home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Pittsville VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed 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 must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting 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 become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are basically two avenues available to obtain 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 usually take 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Pittsville VA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, 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 respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online beauty schools are convenient for Pittsville VA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Classes
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Pittsville VA residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 24139 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Pittsville VA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Pittsville VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might 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 complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Pittsville VA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Pittsville VA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Pittsville VA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Pittsville VA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Pittsylvania County, Virginia
Originally "Pittsylvania" was a name suggested for an unrealized British colony to be located primarily in what is now West Virginia. Pittsylvania County would not have been within this proposed colony, subsequently known as Vandalia.
The county was formed in 1767 from Halifax County. It was named for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768 and opposed harsh colonial policies.
Maud Clement's History of Pittsylvania County notes the following: "Despite the settlers' intentions, towns failed to develop for two reasons: the generally low level of economic activity in the area and the competition from plantation settlements already providing the kind of marketing and purchasing services typically offered by a town. Plantation settlements along the rivers, particularly at ferrying points, became commercial centers. The most important for early Pittsylvania was that of Sam Pannill, a Scots-Irishman, who at the end of the eighteenth century, while still a young man, set up a plantation town at Green Hill on the north side of the Staunton River in Campbell County. (Clement 15)"
Choose the Right Beauty College near Pittsville VA
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is imperative to get the proper 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. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Pittsville VA.
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