How to Find the Right Beauty School near Kegley West Virginia
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Kegley WV, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Kegley residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Kegley WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing 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 be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two pathways 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 usually call for 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. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Kegley WV business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve 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 select in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Kegley WV students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large 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 many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Kegley WV home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you choose 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 24731 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Kegley WV businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Kegley WV salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, check with the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Kegley WV, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s crucial that he or she receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Kegley WV businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, 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 Available? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Kegley WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Kegley WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
West Virginia Route 10
West Virginia Route 10 is a north–south route from Cabell County to Mercer County in the western and southern regions of West Virginia. The road is of very poor quality for most of its path, following river valleys and carved into the side of mountains.
Between the towns of West Hamlin and Man, most of the route closely parallels the course of the Guyandotte River. Thus, it follows a very winding course, with a solid rocks just inches from the roadway, and is thus very dangerous. An upgrade from Man to Logan to a four-lane highway built to the same standards as the Appalachian Corridor System was completed the first part of September 2017. From Man to Lacoma, the route follows Huff Creek, then turns south to Oceana. Then it follows a south-eastern path parallel to several small streams and terminates into US 19 just north of Princeton, West Virginia.
Further north in Cabell County, the segment from Interstate 64 in Huntington, where the current four-lane portion ends, to eight miles (13 km) south is also slated for four-lane widening. The existing facility is two lanes with numerous curves. In 2005, 14 houses were demolished in preparation for the highway's realignment, however construction has been left "unfunded" and has not begun.
Select the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Kegley WV
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Kegley WV.
Other Beautiful Locations in West Virginia
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
