How to Choose a Beauty School near Stratford Virginia
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Stratford VA, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Stratford residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded 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 appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Stratford VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places 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 homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two options available to receive 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 normally take 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 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 likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Stratford VA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, 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 highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.
Online Beauty Programs
Online beauty programs are convenient for Stratford VA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Stratford VA residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 22558 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Stratford VA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Stratford 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 recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed 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, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular 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 pick a school that specializes in 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in Stratford 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Stratford VA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Stratford VA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Stratford VA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Stratford Hall (plantation)
Stratford Hall is a historic house museum near Lerty in Westmoreland County, Virginia. It was the plantation house of four generations of the Lee family of Virginia (later with descendants expanding to Maryland and other states). It was the boyhood home of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Henry Lee (1732-1794), and Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734-1797), and it was the birthplace of Robert Edward Lee (1807–1870), who was a longtime military officer in the Corps of Engineers in the United States Army, and later General-in-Chief of the Confederate States Army and commanded its Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War (1861-1865), and then became the president of Washington College, which later became Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. The estate was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960, under the care of the National Park Service in the U.S. Department of the Interior.[3]
Colonel Thomas Lee (1690-1750) was a Virginian who served as acting Governor of the colony and was a strong advocate for westward expansion. Lee purchased the land for Stratford Hall in 1717, aware of its agricultural and commercial potential as a waterfront site. Construction of the Georgian Great House did not begin until the late 1730s. Designed by an unknown architect, the brick Great House is a two-story H-shaped structure, surrounded on four corners by attending outbuildings, all of which still stand today. Following construction of the Great House, Thomas Lee expanded the site into a bustling hive of activity, and soon the working plantation became "a towne in itself" as one visitor to Stratford marveled. A wharf on the Potomac River was the destination for a large number of merchant ships, a grist mill ground wheat and corn there, and slaves and indentured servants farmed tobacco and other crops on the thousands of acres of farmland. Blacksmiths, coopers, carpenters, tailors, gardeners, and weavers plied their trades at Thomas Lee's Stratford. Stratford Hall is set in the Historic Northern Neck of Virginia, a rural peninsula where historic Christ Church is located.
In the midst of this busy world, Thomas Lee and his wife Hannah Harrison Ludwell (1701–49) raised eight children, six sons and two daughters. They played important roles in shaping the early history of the nation. His eldest son, Philip Ludwell Lee, Sr., Esquire (1727–75) inherited Stratford Hall. Richard Henry Lee (1732–94) and Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734–97) were delegates from Virginia to the Second Continental Congress, and signers of the Declaration of Independence. Richard Henry was later instrumental in guiding the fledgling nation, serving as President of Congress in 1784-85. Thomas Ludwell Lee, active in local politics, served as a Virginian legislator and helped compose the Virginia Declaration of Rights. William Lee (1739–95) and Dr. Arthur Lee (1740–92) were diplomats to England during the turbulent struggle for American independence. Hannah Lee was an early proponent of women's rights, and Alice Lee married the prominent physician William Shippen, Jr. (1736-1808) of Philadelphia.
Choose the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Stratford VA
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin 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 ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Stratford VA.
Other Beautiful Locations in Virginia
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
