How to Enroll In a Beauty School near Barboursville West Virginia
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Barboursville WV, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might 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 relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Barboursville residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Barboursville WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names 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 mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two avenues offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Barboursville WV business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Barboursville WV students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant 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 away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure 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 required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Barboursville WV home, together with 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 reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 25504 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Barboursville WV employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each beauty institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Barboursville WV salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the West Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 vision is to start a hair salon in Barboursville WV, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that she or he receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Barboursville WV employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Barboursville WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Barboursville WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Barboursville, West Virginia
Barboursville is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 287,702. New definitions from February 28, 2013 placed the population at 363,000.[6]
The Barboursville Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. The Thornburg House was separately listed in 1991.[8] Barboursville also contains the historic Miller House, a building constructed in 1835 by local pioneer William Clendenin Miller, grandson of Major George Clendenin (Served under Lt. Colonel Daniel Boone in the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant, and along with Boone was the first representative of Kanawha County, and incidentally what would become Cabell County. Also was a co-founder of Charleston, West Virginia.)[9]
Barboursville is located at 38°24′40″N 82°17′52″W / 38.41111°N 82.29778°W / 38.41111; -82.29778 (38.411002, -82.297758).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 4.19 square miles (10.85 km2), of which, 4.09 square miles (10.59 km2) is land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km2) is water.[1] The confluence of the Mud River and the Guyandotte River is just north of the village.
Select the Right Cosmetology Program near Barboursville WV
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Barboursville WV.
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