How to Find the Right Cosmetology Academy near Helena Arkansas
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Helena AR, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Helena residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as 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 discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
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What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Helena AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
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Cosmetology Degrees
There are basically two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Helena AR business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Arkansas Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Beauty Classes
Online beauty programs are accommodating for Helena AR students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial 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 travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Helena AR residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
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 certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 72342 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Helena AR businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent 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 referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Helena AR salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Arkansas 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? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 Helena AR, 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Helena AR businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.
How To Compare Cosmetology Schools Helena Arkansas
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist school is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in How To Compare Cosmetology Schools and learning more about the topic Good Cosmetology Colleges. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided 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 examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Helena AR.
Other Beautiful Arkansas Locations
Helena–West Helena, Arkansas
Helena–West Helena is the county seat of and the largest city within Phillips County, Arkansas, United States.[3] The current city was consolidated, effective January 1, 2006, from the two Arkansas cities of Helena and West Helena. Helena is sited on lowlands between the Mississippi River and the eastern side of Crowley's Ridge. West Helena is located on the western side of Crowley's Ridge, a geographic anomaly in the typically flat Arkansas Delta. The Helena Bridge, one of Arkansas' four Mississippi River bridges, carries U.S. Route 49 across to Mississippi. The combined population of the two cities was 15,012 at the 2000 census and at the 2010 census, the official population was 12,282.[4]
The municipality traces its historical roots to the founding of the port town of Helena on the Mississippi River by European Americans in 1833. As the county seat, Helena was the center of a prosperous cotton plantation region in the antebellum years. Helena was occupied by the Union Army early in the American Civil War. The city was the site of the Battle of Helena fought in 1863. Confederate forces unsuccessfully tried to expel Union forces from Helena in order to help relieve pressure on the strategic river town of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Later in the year, Helena served as the launching point for the Union Army in the capture of Little Rock, the state capital.
A thriving blues community developed here in the 1940s and 1950s as rural musicians relocated for city jobs. Mechanization had reduced the need for farm workers. The city continued to grow until the closing of the Mohawk Rubber Company, a subsidiary of Yokohama Rubber Company, in the 1970s. Unemployment surged shortly after.[5]
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