How to Choose the Best Cosmetology School near Ankeny Iowa
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Ankeny IA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Ankeny residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
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Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Ankeny IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
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Cosmetology Degrees
There are primarily two pathways available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after 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 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. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Ankeny IA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online beauty schools are accommodating for Ankeny IA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Ankeny IA residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 even more 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 selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you choose 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 50015 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Ankeny IA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Ankeny IA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Ankeny IA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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 Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Ankeny IA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify 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 provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.
How Much Is Beauty School Ankeny Iowa
Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in How Much Is Beauty School and learning more about the topic Cosmetology Schools Near Me. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on 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 reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Ankeny IA.
Other Beautiful Iowa Locations
Ankeny, Iowa
Ankeny is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States and home to Des Moines Area Community College. Ankeny is a rapidly growing suburb just north of Des Moines, Iowa's capital city. Ankeny covers approximately 33 square miles and has a population estimated at 54,598 after a special census conducted in 2015. This census also estimated the city's growth at 5 persons per day. The U.S. Census Bureau recently named Ankeny the fastest growing city in the Midwest and the 4th fastest growing city in the United States. Ankeny is the 9th largest city in Iowa and the 3rd largest in Polk County.
Ankeny was founded by John and Sarah Ankeny in 1875 and was incorporated on February 28, 1903.[6] A railroad link from Des Moines through Ankeny to Ames was completed in 1874 and passenger service established in 1880.[6]
Coal mining became an important activity in the Ankeny area in the early 20th century. The Anderson Coal Company sank a shaft 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Ankeny in 1908. Enterprise, 4 miles (6 km) east of Ankeny, was the company town of the Enterprise Coal Company, with two large mines opened in 1903 and 1907.[7] In 1914, the Enterprise Coal Company produced over 100,000 tons of coal, ranking among the top 24 coal producers in the state.[8] In 1912, United Mine Workers Local 2476 in Ankeny had 246 members, over half of the total population at the time, and Local 2511 in Enterprise had 395 members.[9]
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