Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Saint Albans WV

How to Find the Right Cosmetology School near Saint Albans West Virginia

nail technicians training at Saint Albans WV beauty school Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Saint Albans WV, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Saint Albans home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing 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 a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Saint Albans WV makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Saint Albans WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Saint Albans WV hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues offered to get 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 normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Saint Albans WV business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Beauty Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in Saint Albans WV Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for Saint Albans WV students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional 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 considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain 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 Beauty Programs

Questions to ask Saint Albans WV beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Saint Albans WV residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 25177 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Saint Albans WV businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Saint Albans WV salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Saint Albans WV, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Saint Albans WV employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Saint Albans WV?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Saint Albans WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

St. Albans, West Virginia

St. Albans was laid out in 1816. Originally, it was known as Philippi, after Philip Thompson, an early settler, the name afterwards being changed to Colesmouth due to the area and river being discovered by Samuel Cole. The city was then incorporated as Kanawha City in 1868. The town was renamed in 1872 by H.C. Parsons of the C & O Railroad in honor of his birthplace in St. Albans, Vermont, which is itself named after St. Albans in Hertfordshire, England.[5] The latter town is named for St. Alban, believed to have been the first British Christian martyr.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 11,044 people, 4,969 households, and 3,073 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,050.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,177.9/km2). There were 5,436 housing units at an average density of 1,501.7 per square mile (579.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.0% White, 3.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.

There were 4,969 households of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.79.

Choose the Right Cosmetology College near Saint Albans WV

Saint Albans WV barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize 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 contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Saint Albans WV.