How to Choose the Best Cosmetology School near Portland Connecticut
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Portland CT, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled 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 kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Portland residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
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What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically 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, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Portland CT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed 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 most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
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Cosmetologist Degrees
There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon 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 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 offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Portland CT business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Connecticut Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Classes
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Portland CT students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced since many courses 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’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. 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 Beauty Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Portland CT residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 06480 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Portland CT employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Portland CT salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Connecticut school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 desire is to start a hair salon in Portland CT, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Portland CT employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask 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 extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Schools With Cosmetology Programs Portland Connecticut
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Schools With Cosmetology Programs and learning more about the topic Cosmetologist Colleges. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start 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 choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Portland CT.
Other Beautiful Connecticut Locations
Portland, Connecticut
Portland is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,732 at the 2000 census. The town center is listed as a census-designated place (CDP). It is situated across the Connecticut River from Middletown. Brownstone quarried in Portland was used in the construction of Hartford's Old State House in 1796. The vast majority of the brownstone buildings in Connecticut (see College Row at Wesleyan University and the Long Walk at Trinity College) as well as the famous brownstones in New York City were built with brownstone from Portland's quarries.
The Wangunk tribe lived in the area prior to European settlement, and lived in Portland continuously throughout the settler period. Wangunk descendants still live in the area today. Their name referred to the bend in the Connecticut River which curves around half of the town's perimeter.[1]
The first European settlers came to Portland in the 1690s. They were attracted by brownstone, which was used both for construction and for gravestones. Proximity to the river meant that the stone could be transported far and wide, and the Portland brownstone quarries supplied to New York, Boston and even San Francisco, Canada and England. By the 1850s, more than 1,500 people were employed in the quarry industry. More than 25 ships transported the stone. By the 1850s, shipbuilding became more important as an industry, and the economic center of town shifted toward the Gildersleeve area. Immigrants from Ireland, then Sweden, then (to a lesser extent) Italy came to town to work the quarries.[1]
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