How to Choose a Beauty School near Radford Virginia
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Radford VA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial 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 pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Radford home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are many other qualifications 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 talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many 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 require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Radford VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are essentially two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Radford VA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized 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 discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Beauty Programs
Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Radford VA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Radford VA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you select 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 24141 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Radford VA businesses 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? Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Radford VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Radford VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that he or she receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Radford VA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Radford VA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Radford VA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Radford, Virginia
Radford (formerly Lovely Mount, Central City, English Ferry and Ingle's Ferry) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of 2016, the population was estimated to be 17,483 by the United States Census Bureau.[3] For statistical purposes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Radford with neighboring Montgomery County.
Radford is the home of Radford University. The Radford Arsenal is nearby in Pulaski and Montgomery counties. Radford City has four schools: McHarg Elementary, Belle Heth Elementary, Dalton Intermediate, and Radford High School.
Radford was named for Dr. John B. Radford.[4] Dr. Radford's home Arnheim was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.[5] Radford was originally a small village of people that gathered near the New River, which was a major draw to travelers for fresh water and food while traveling west. The town had a major population increase in 1854 when the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad came through. A large depot was placed at Lovely Mount because of its strategic positioning between the eastern and western parts of the state. The actual station was not on Lovely Mountain, located on the southwestern side of town, but Lovely Mount was a known mountain and naming the station this would help people to remember the location of the depot. The Railroad Depot caused the population of Radford to boom. It also caused a major increase in the amount of trade and business in the area. Radford became a railroad town. The original name for Radford was Lovely Mount because of the location of the depot; the name was changed in 1891 to Radford. Radford, or at least the train station area, was called Central Depot because of its central location halfway between Lynchburg and Bristol, Virginia of the original railroad, the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad (later the Norfolk and Western Railway).
Choose the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Radford VA
Choosing and enrolling in the right beauty college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start 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 proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Radford VA.
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