How to Pick a Beauty School near Glen Ferris West Virginia
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Glen Ferris WV, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Glen Ferris home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Glen Ferris WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously stated, in most states working 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. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two avenues offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Glen Ferris WV business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty programs are convenient for Glen Ferris WV students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often 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 online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Glen Ferris WV residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue 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 additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 25090 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 Glen Ferris WV businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Glen Ferris WV salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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 often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a hair salon in Glen Ferris WV, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that she or he gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Glen Ferris WV businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify 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. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid 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. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Glen Ferris WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Glen Ferris WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Glen Ferris, West Virginia
Glen Ferris is a census-designated place (CDP) on the western bank of the Kanawha River in Fayette County, West Virginia. It is situated approximately one mile south of the town of Gauley Bridge. The sole highway linking Glen Ferris to the area is U.S. Route 60, known also as the Midland Trail. As of the 2010 census, its population was 203; the community had 104 housing units, 87 of which were occupied.[2] The village is roughly a mile and a half in length. Glen Ferris is home to two churches, one Apostolic and one Methodist. A railway owned by Norfolk Southern runs parallel to US Route 60 through the village.
The first permanent building to be constructed in Glen Ferris was the Glen Ferris Inn (originally a private residence) which was built in 1810. It served as a private home from 1810 until 1839 when it began operation as a hotel [1]. In 1839, the home was purchased by Aaron Stockton who acquired a license from Fayette County to "open a common room", at which point, the building began to serve as an inn. The inn received several famous guests: Andrew Jackson, John Tyler, Henry Clay, and John James Audubon. During the Civil War, the inn, at different times, served as the host to officers from both sides including Confederate generals Henry A. Wise and John B. Floyd. Two Union generals stayed at the inn—Jacob D. Cox and William S. Rosecrans. At one point during the war, Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley, who were encamped across the Kanawha River, spent time at the inn. After falling into disrepair, the inn was renovated and an addition was built in the 1960s (date uncertain). A further addition of a dining hall was completed in the 1980s (date uncertain). In 1996, the Inn was purchased from Elkem Metals by a local family. The new proprietors added a glass walled Dining Room that overlooks the Kanawha Falls. It continues to operate as a hotel. The Glen Ferris Inn overlooks the Kanawha Falls. On the east bank of the river, across from the inn, lay the remnants of Camp Reynolds, a Union Army camp and gun embankment used in the Civil War.
After the Civil War, the area began to grow as coal production escalated in the state of West Virginia and abundant water made the generation of power inexpensive. In the early part of the 1900s, a dam was constructed across the river from Glen Ferris. Trains operated on both sides of the river, carrying passengers as well as coal. In 1917, Union Carbide purchased a small hydro electrice plant in Glen Ferris, the brick remains of which can still be seen on the edge of the Kanawha River and which is being presently renovated. While continuing to operate this small plant, in 1929-30, Carbide built a much larger ferro-alloys plant at Alloy, a few miles downriver from Glen Ferris, which, at that time, was the world's largest ferro-alloys plant, employing some 2800 people, during its heyday from the time of its construction through the early 1960s. In order to generate power for the larger plant by diverting water from the New River, the company had a 3-mile long tunnel built through the mountain at Hawks Nest. The rock through which the tunnel was built consisted of 98% pure silica and caused acute silica poisoning among hundreds of unprotected workers, many of whom died. Many who died were buried close by in mass graves on the property which is now the Hawks Nest Country Club. At the time, the nearby town of Gauley Bridge became known as "the town of the walking dead". The disaster became the focus of Congressional hearings in Washington, D.C., in the mid-thirties, and acute silicosis was identified as an occupational illness for the first time. The town of Glen Ferris followed the pattern already set by mine companies in the area. Union Carbide built a majority of the homes in Glen Ferris, as well as in other towns in the Upper Kanawha Valley and leased them to workers and their families. During its heyday, Union Carbide also provided a recreation hall in the upper end of the village. A post office/general store, an elementary school, a tennis court, a bowling alley, and a playground also served the residents. After the 1950s, as plant production declined, Union Carbide began to sell the houses to their occupants. In the 1970s, several homes were constructed on the mountainside above Glen Ferris in the north end of town; these would be Glen Ferris' largest homes and lead to its continued development as a place where people chose to live, primarily for its scenic views and in contrast to surrounding towns along Route 60. In recent years, several even larger homes have been built on the northern edge of Glen Ferris, close to Gauley Bridge. The elementary school was closed in 1961; the apostolic church stands there now. The town remains a picturesque spot for photographers. Views of the falls at the northern end of town and views of the Kanawha River and Gauley Bridge at the southern end of the village offer exceptionally scenic "photo ops" during every season. Nearby whitewater rafting on the New River Gorge has brought many tourists to the town.
Enroll in the Right Beauty Vocational School near Glen Ferris WV
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied 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 exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Glen Ferris WV.
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