Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Lakewood WA

How to Find the Right Cosmetology School near Lakewood Washington

nail technicians training at Lakewood WA beauty school Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Lakewood WA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lakewood home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Lakewood WA makeup ar4tist applying makeup 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 really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lakewood WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

Lakewood WA hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues offered to receive 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 require 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Lakewood WA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Cosmetologist Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Lakewood WA Online beauty programs are accommodating for Lakewood WA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Programs

Questions to ask Lakewood WA beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lakewood WA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled 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 sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 98439 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lakewood WA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any beauty school that you are seriously considering 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 businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lakewood WA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Lakewood WA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Lakewood WA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lakewood WA?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Lakewood WA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Lakewood, Washington

Lakewood was officially incorporated on February 28, 1996. Historical names include Tacoma/Lakewood Center and Lakes District (this name was used by the U.S. Census in the 1970 and 1980 Census). Lakewood is the second-largest city in Pierce County and is home to the Clover Park School District, the Lakewood Water District, Fort Steilacoom Park and Western State Hospital, a regional state psychiatric hospital.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.95 square miles (49.08 km2), of which, 17.17 square miles (44.47 km2) is land and 1.78 square miles (4.61 km2) is water.[2]

There are several lakes within the city limits; the largest in area are American Lake, Lake Steilacoom, Gravelly Lake, Lake Louise, and Waughop Lake. A number of small creeks flow through Lakewood, some of which drain into nearby Puget Sound. The largest of these, Chambers Creek, flows from Lake Steilacoom to Chambers Bay between nearby University Place and Steilacoom.

Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Program near Lakewood WA

Lakewood WA barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Lakewood WA.