Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Maple Valley WA

How to Select a Cosmetology College near Maple Valley Washington

nail technicians training at Maple Valley WA beauty school Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Maple Valley WA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference 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 discuss a bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Maple Valley residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

Maple Valley WA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 really 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, most states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Maple Valley WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

Maple Valley WA hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two pathways offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Maple Valley WA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Cosmetologist Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Maple Valley WA Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Maple Valley WA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed 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 Beauty Degree Programs

Questions to ask Maple Valley WA beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Maple Valley WA residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 98038 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Maple Valley WA employers 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? Any beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Maple Valley WA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 desire is to open a hair salon in Maple Valley WA, then you want 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 seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that he or she gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Maple Valley WA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Maple Valley WA?

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

Maple Valley, Washington

The area was settled in 1879 by three men who were improving a trail and brought their families in. When a name for a future community was proposed, the names Vine Maple Valley and Maple Ridge were suggested. A vote was taken by writing the names on slips of paper and placing them in a hat. Vine Maple Valley won by 2/3, but the word "Vine" was later cut by the post office because it made the name too long.

The town's early history mainly had to do with coal, lumber milling to build homes, and a railroad that ran through town. Coal was brought in from Black Diamond to the south, but the town itself also mined coal from Cedar Mountain. The mine was used as late as 1947. Rail workers for lines like the Northern Pacific Railroad and the Cedar River Watershed, closed off by the City of Seattle, meant more workers for those things. More residents meant more lumber milling. More lumber milling meant more workers. Suquamish tribe chairperson Martha George was born near Maple Valley in Sheridan in 1892, at a logging camp where her mother and grandmother worked as cooks."[5]

The town grew inward. Blacksmith shops, hotels, saloons and stores took up the town in the 1910s and 1920s. Schools went up as well. Early schools were shacks at best. A two-room school went up in 1910, but a larger school was quickly needed. Tahoma High School, a three-story brick building, went up in 1920. Students made up the name by combining the first two letters in the town names Taylor, Hobart and Maple Valley.[6] The school still serves the Tahoma School District as an elementary school.

Select the Right Cosmetology College near Maple Valley WA

Maple Valley WA barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. 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 proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Maple Valley WA.