How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Fort Atkinson Wisconsin
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Fort Atkinson WI, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Fort Atkinson home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with 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 term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost 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 take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Fort Atkinson WI 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, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are essentially two avenues available to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 wish to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Fort Atkinson WI business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Wisconsin Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online beauty programs are convenient for Fort Atkinson WI students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Fort Atkinson WI home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 53538 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Fort Atkinson WI businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any beauty school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Fort Atkinson WI salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Wisconsin school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Fort Atkinson WI, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s essential that she or he gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Fort Atkinson WI employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad 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. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Fort Atkinson WI?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Fort Atkinson WI area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Fort Atkinson was named after General Henry Atkinson,[6] the commander of U.S. forces in the area during the Black Hawk War (1832) against a mixed band of Sauk, Meskwaki and Kickapoo peoples. The city developed at the site of Fort Koshkonong, which was used during that war. A replica of the original 1832 stockade has been built just outside town, although not at the original site. The fort was located to control the confluence of the Rock and Bark rivers.
The settlement grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century, after migration of United States pioneers from the East, especially from New York State and the northern tier. They were among the many migrants carrying the New England Yankee culture west across the northern tier of states.[7]
The history and natural history of Fort Atkinson and the surrounding area are presented at the Hoard Historical Museum and National Dairy Shrine Museum.[8]William Dempster Hoard founded the nationally distributed dairy farm magazine, Hoard's Dairyman, in Fort Atkinson in 1885. The museums include the Frank and Luella Hoard House, the Dwight and Almira Foster House, and the Knox Research Library and Archive. The Dairy Shrine portion of the complex portrays the past, present, and future of the dairy industry.
Select the Right Cosmetology College near Fort Atkinson WI
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied 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 exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Fort Atkinson WI.
Other Beautiful Locations in Wisconsin
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
1 Reviews 