How to Pick the Right Beauty Degree Program near Oakdale Iowa
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Oakdale IA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Oakdale home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
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What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Oakdale IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
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Cosmetology Degrees
There are basically two pathways 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 usually take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily 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 offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Oakdale IA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Beauty Programs
Online beauty classes are convenient for Oakdale IA 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 available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Oakdale IA residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 52319 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Oakdale IA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each 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 testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Oakdale IA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Iowa 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? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 vision is to start a hair salon in Oakdale IA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that he or she receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Oakdale IA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify 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. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.
Cosmetology Degree Oakdale Iowa
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Cosmetology Degree and learning more about the topic Beauty School Training. So make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Oakdale IA.
Other Beautiful Iowa Locations
Oakdale, Iowa
Oakdale was an unincorporated rural residential village established in 1908[2][3] by the State of Iowa as a statewide treatment center for tuberculosis (TB) in rural Johnson County, located about five miles northwest of central Iowa City and now a part of Coralville, immediately adjacent to the community of North Liberty.[4]
As a partially self-sustaining community, Oakdale included a depot on the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway (CRandIC) line,[6] power plant, several residential patient and staff buildings, pharmacy, postal, and administrative units, as well as associated facilities to support varied farming operations intended to help sustain the institution, including a large dairy.
Treatment protocols during much of Oakdale's more than half-century of operation included a regimen of rest, fresh air year around,[7] and a nutritious diet. Before its naming in 1839, TB had been called "consumption" during much of its 4,500-year history as a human disease dating from Babylonian writings and Egyptian mummies.
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