How to Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Masontown West Virginia
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Masontown WV, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear 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 type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Masontown home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as 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 talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body 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 word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves 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 be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Masontown WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Masontown WV business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Beauty Programs
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Masontown WV students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Masontown WV home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to 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 every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 26542 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Masontown WV businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Masontown WV salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the West Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Masontown WV, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Masontown WV businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating 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 broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of 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 department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Masontown WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Masontown WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
All Good Music Festival
The All Good Music Festival and Camp Out was a weekend-long event held annually in July. Since its inception in 1997,[1] it had been held at venues along the Mid-Atlantic, including Masontown, West Virginia and locations in Maryland and Virginia, most notably Marvin's Mountaintop. It moved to Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio in 2012. All Good announced they would be taking a short hiatus in 2014 and not be having a festival. They returned in 2015 in Summit Point, West Virginia.[2] Headlining acts were Primus, moe. and Cake.[3] In 2016, it was announced the festival had been retired and would be replaced by a two-day event at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
The event was organized by Walther Productions and included mostly jam and folk acts, though the festival had expanded its musical repertoire to include reggae, hip-hop fusion, bluegrass, funk, and rock. The 15th Annual festival was held July 14–17, 2011 on Marvin's Mountain Top in Masontown, West Virginia. The lineup had included artists such as Furthur, Derek Trucks, Railroad Earth, Keller Williams, The Flaming Lips, Phil Lesh and Friends, Widespread Panic, Umphrey's McGee, The String Cheese Incident, Les Claypool, Ratdog, Moe., Lotus, Bassnectar, Old Crow Medicine Show, The New Deal, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Yonder Mountain String Band, Dark Star Orchestra, and Leftover Salmon.
The festival generally featured three performance spaces: the main stage, flanked by a smaller stage, and the Grassroots stage located by Shakedown Street. The two main stages in the concert area operated with no overlapping sets, allowing festival-goers the unique opportunity to see all of the music scheduled at the festival. The location of the main stage at the bottom of a hill created a natural amphitheater with the music from the stage projected to the maximum number of listeners sitting on the hill; the mountains of West Virginia serving as backdrop.
Enroll in the Right Beauty School near Masontown WV
Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Masontown WV.
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