How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Davis West Virginia
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Davis WV, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Davis residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Davis WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
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 work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Davis WV business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Beauty Programs
Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Davis WV students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Davis WV residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary 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 options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 26260 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Davis WV businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Davis WV salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, 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 West Virginia 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, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Davis WV, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Davis WV employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, 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 Aid Offered? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check 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 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 with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Davis WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Davis WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Davis, West Virginia
Davis is located at 39°07′52″N 79°27′59″W / 39.131110°N 79.466318°W / 39.131110; -79.466318 (39.131110, -79.466318).[10] It is located in the northern portion of Canaan Valley, West Virginia near the Canaan Valley State Resort Park, and is partially surrounded by the Monongahela National Forest, including scenic Blackwater Falls.
The area surrounding Davis is renowned for its mountain biking trails and bike culture. The most notable trails include the Plantation Trail, Hoo Doo Hustle and Moon Rocks. Many more miles of trails are also easily accessible at nearby Blackwater Falls State Park. The area also hosts several mountain bike races each year. One of these races, The Revenge Of The Rattlesnake, is considered one of the toughest bike races in the country.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 660 people, 305 households, and 173 families residing in the town. The population density was 360.7 inhabitants per square mile (139.3/km2). There were 425 housing units at an average density of 232.2 per square mile (89.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.0% White, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.
Choose the Right Cosmetology College near Davis WV
Picking and enrolling in the right beauty college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Davis WV.
Other Beautiful Locations in West Virginia
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
