Accredited Beauty Schools Cambridge MA - Train to Be a Cosmetologist

How to Select the Right Cosmetology College near Cambridge Massachusetts

Cambridge MA beauty salon Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Cambridge MA, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Cambridge home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding 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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Defining Cosmetology

Cambridge MA makeup school student Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with 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 term 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 require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Cambridge MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain 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 become licensed in those states.

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Cosmetology Degrees

Cambridge MA hair design student cutting hair There are essentially two avenues offered to receive 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 typically require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Cambridge MA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Cosmetology Training

Cambridge MA student attending online beauty school Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Cambridge MA 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 attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Training Programs

Questions to ask Cambridge MA cosmetology schools Below is a list of questions that you should research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Cambridge MA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you select 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 02138 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Cambridge MA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent 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. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Cambridge MA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 launch a hair salon in Cambridge MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that she or he receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Cambridge MA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded 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 considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available.

Accredited Beauty Schools Cambridge Massachusetts

Cambridge MA nail tech students in training Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Accredited Beauty Schools and learning more about the topic Cosmetology Courses. 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 information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Cambridge MA.

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Cambridge, Massachusetts

Situated directly north of Boston, across the Charles River, it was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders.[4]:18

Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Hult Business School are in Cambridge,[5] as was Radcliffe College, a college for women until it merged with Harvard on October 1, 1999.

According to the 2010 Census, the city's population was 105,162.[6] As of July 2014[update], it was the fifth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Lowell.[7] Cambridge was one of two seats of Middlesex County until the county government was abolished in Massachusetts in 1997.