How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Wakefield Virginia
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Wakefield VA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear 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 type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Wakefield home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Wakefield VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two avenues available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 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. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Wakefield VA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Wakefield VA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Schools
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Wakefield VA home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you select 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). 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 often are not obtainable in 23888 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 Wakefield VA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Wakefield VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand 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 ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Wakefield VA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look 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 important that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Wakefield VA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many cosmetology schools offer 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 learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of 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 cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Wakefield VA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Wakefield VA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Wakefield, Virginia
Wakefield is widely known for the Virginia Diner, the Airfield Conference and 4-H Educational Center and the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office for Eastern Virginia, which issues weather alerts for the region.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km2), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.2 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2) of it (3.10%) is water.
Wakefield, one of several stops along the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad in pre-civil war Virginia, is thought to have been named by William Mahone(1826-1895), then president of the N&P, and his wife Otelia Butler Mahone as they traveled the newly completed railroad in 1858. According to local lore, the name came from the Sir Walter Scott novel Ivanhoe, which Mrs. Mahone was reading at the time. The towns of Windsor and Waverly are said to have received their names the same way.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist College near Wakefield VA
Finding and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Wakefield VA.
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