Hair Cosmetology Schools Dorchester MA

How to Pick the Best Cosmetology School near Dorchester Massachusetts

Dorchester MA beauty salonOnce you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Dorchester MA, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Dorchester home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

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Definition of Cosmetology

Dorchester MA makeup school studentCosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Dorchester MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing 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 work in a wide variety of specialties including:

  • Hairdressers
  • Hairstylists
  • Beauticians
  • Barbers
  • Manicurists
  • Nail Technicians
  • Makeup Artists
  • Hair Coloring Specialists
  • Estheticians
  • Electrolysis Technicians

As already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

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Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Dorchester MA hair design student cutting hairThere are primarily two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Dorchester MA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Cosmetology Programs

Dorchester MA student attending online beauty schoolOnline beauty programs are convenient for Dorchester MA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Training Courses

Questions to ask Dorchester MA cosmetology schoolsBelow is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Dorchester MA residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 52140 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Dorchester MA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every beauty institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent 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. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Dorchester MA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, 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 last, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Dorchester MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated 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 refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s imperative that she or he receives assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Dorchester MA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.

Hair Cosmetology Schools Dorchester Massachusetts

Dorchester MA nail tech students in trainingChoosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Hair Cosmetology Schools and learning more about the topic Cosmetology Course. So make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Dorchester MA.

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    Dorchester, Boston

    Dorchester (colloquially referred to as Dot)[3] is a Boston neighborhood comprising more than 6 square miles (16 km2) in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Originally, Dorchester was a separate town, founded by Puritans who emigrated in 1630 from Dorchester, Dorset, England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This dissolved municipality, Boston's largest neighborhood by far,[4] is often divided by city planners in order to create two planning areas roughly equivalent in size and population to other Boston neighborhoods.

    Founded in 1630, just a few months before the founding of the city of Boston, Dorchester now covers a geographic area approximately equivalent to nearby Cambridge.[6] It was still a primarily rural town and had a population of 12,000 when it was annexed to Boston in 1870. Railroad and streetcar lines brought rapid growth, increasing the population to 150,000 by 1920. In the 2010 United States Census, the neighborhood's population was 92,115.

    The Dorchester neighborhood has a very diverse population, which includes a large concentration of African Americans, European Americans (particularly those of Irish, German, and Polish origin), Caribbean Americans, Latinos, and East and Southeast Asian Americans. Dorchester also has a significant LGBT population, with active political groups and the largest concentration of same-sex couples in Boston after the South End and Jamaica Plain.[7] Most of the people over the age of 25 have completed high school or obtained a GED.[8]

     

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