Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Moses Lake WA

How to Pick a Beauty College near Moses Lake Washington

nail technicians training at Moses Lake WA beauty school Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Moses Lake WA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Moses Lake home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Moses Lake WA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application 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 go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Moses Lake WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional 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 already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance 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.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Moses Lake WA hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain 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 require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Moses Lake WA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Beauty Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Moses Lake WA Online beauty programs are convenient for Moses Lake WA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses

Questions to ask Moses Lake WA beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Moses Lake WA home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 98837 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Moses Lake WA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Moses Lake WA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Washington 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? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad 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 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 intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a hair salon in Moses Lake 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 seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Moses Lake WA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Moses Lake WA?

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

Moses Lake, Washington

Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County. The city anchors the Moses Lake Micropolitan area, which includes all of Grant County, and is part of the Moses Lake-Othello combined statistical area.

Moses Lake, on which the city lies, is made up of three main arms over 18 miles (29 km) long and up to one mile (1.6 km) wide. It is the largest natural body of fresh water in Grant County and has over 120 miles (190 km) of shoreline covering 6,500 acres (2,600 ha). Before it was dammed in the early 1900s and then incorporated into the Columbia Basin Project, Moses Lake was a smaller shallow lake.[5] To the south of the town is the Potholes Reservoir and the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge that has a number of seep lakes and vast amounts of migratory birds and other fauna natural to the area.

Before the construction of Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in 1941 and Larson Air Base in 1942 the area was largely barren. Native Americans knew the area as Houaph, which meant willow. Chief Moses was leader of the Sinkiuse tribe from 1859 to 1899, and was forced to negotiate with white settlers who began to settle in the area in the 1880s. Under pressure from the government, Chief Moses traded the Columbia Basin land for a reservation that stretched from Lake Chelan north to the Canada–US border. The government later traded again for what is now the Colville Indian Reservation.

Select the Right Cosmetology College near Moses Lake WA

Moses Lake WA barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Moses Lake WA.