How to Pick the Right Beauty Program near West Des Moines Iowa
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near West Des Moines IA, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your West Des Moines home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh 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 discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
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Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only West Des Moines IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
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Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two avenues available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other West Des Moines IA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Iowa 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 review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology classes are convenient for West Des Moines IA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your West Des Moines IA residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 50265 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous West Des Moines IA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with West Des Moines IA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Iowa 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 Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in West Des Moines IA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with West Des Moines IA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.
How To Choose A Beauty College West Des Moines Iowa
Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in How To Choose A Beauty College and learning more about the topic Beautician Training. So be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in West Des Moines IA.
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West Des Moines, Iowa
As of the 2010 census, the city population was 56,609.[3][4] West Des Moines is the second-largest city in the Des Moines metropolitan area and the tenth-largest city in Iowa. It ranked 94th in Money magazine's list of the "100 Best Places to Live and Launch" in 2008, 77th and 57th on the 100 Best Places to Live in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and 18th on the Hipster Cities of 2015.[5][6][7]
The West Des Moines area used to be home to the Sac and Fox tribes. Near the stroke of midnight on October 11, 1845 a gunshot was fired by a cattle farmer, James Cunningham Jordan (1813–1893) and the tribes left. His residence, the Jordan House, has been restored and is now home to the West Des Moines Historical Society. In West Des Moines' early years, the town was a trading and shipping junction. West Des Moines incorporated as the city of Valley Junction on October 9, 1893.
In its early days Valley Junction was home to the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad's switching facilities and repair shops due to its location at the junction of several railroad lines. The Rock Island's facilities moved out of Valley Junction and back into Des Moines in 1936.
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