How to Choose a Beauty College near Parkersburg West Virginia
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Parkersburg WV, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Parkersburg residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous 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 appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Parkersburg WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering 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.
Cosmetologist 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 pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on 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 run a salon or other Parkersburg WV business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Parkersburg WV students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools 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 programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Parkersburg WV home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 26101 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Parkersburg 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 an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Parkersburg WV salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in Parkersburg 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 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 involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Parkersburg WV businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Parkersburg WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Parkersburg WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, West Virginia, United States.[5] Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha rivers, it is the state's third-largest city and the largest city in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna metropolitan area. The population was 31,492 at the 2010 census. Its peak population was 44,797 in 1960. The city is about 14 miles south of Marietta, Ohio.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad reached Parkersburg in 1857, but lacked a crossing over the Ohio River until after the American Civil War. When the B&O completed the Parkersburg Bridge (CSX) 1868–1870 to Belpre, it was the longest railroad bridge in the world.
The Bureau of the Public Debt, an agency of the U.S. Treasury Department, was relocated from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in the late 20th century and headquartered in Parkersburg. In October 2012, it was merged with the Financial Management Service to form the Bureau of the Fiscal Service.
Choose the Right Beauty Vocational School near Parkersburg WV
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Parkersburg WV.
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