How To Choose A Cosmetologist School Somerville NJ

How to Choose the Right Beauty Program near Somerville New Jersey

Somerville NJ beauty salonNow that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Somerville NJ, the task 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 chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Somerville home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

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Defining Cosmetology

Somerville NJ makeup school studentCosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Somerville NJ beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

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Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

Somerville NJ hair design student cutting hairThere are primarily two avenues available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Somerville NJ business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the New Jersey Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Cosmetology Schools

Somerville NJ student attending online beauty schoolOnline cosmetology programs are accommodating for Somerville NJ students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses

Questions to ask Somerville NJ cosmetology schoolsBelow is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Somerville NJ home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

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 certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 08876 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Somerville NJ businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Somerville NJ salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the New Jersey school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular 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 pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Somerville NJ, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s important that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Somerville NJ businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 Available?  Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be provided.

How To Choose A Cosmetologist School Somerville New Jersey

Somerville NJ nail tech students in trainingLocating and enrolling in the right beauty school is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in How To Choose A Cosmetologist School and learning more about the topic Cosmetic Schools. So make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Somerville NJ.

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    Somerville, New Jersey

    Somerville is a borough in and the county seat of Somerset County, New Jersey, United States.[19] As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 12,098,[8][9][10] reflecting a decline of 325 (-2.6%) from the 12,423 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 791 (+6.8%) from the 11,632 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]

    Somerville was originally formed as a town on March 25, 1863, within a portion of Bridgewater Township. Somerville was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 16, 1909, based on the results of a referendum held on May 4, 1909, at which point it was fully set off from Bridgewater Township.[21][22] It is home of the oldest competitive bicycle race in the United States.

    Somerville was settled in colonial times primarily by the Dutch who purchased land from the English proprietors of the colony. The Dutch established their church near what is today Somerville and a Dutch Reformed minister or Domine lived at the Old Dutch Parsonage from about 1754. The early village grew up around a church, courthouse and a tavern built at a crossroads shortly after the American Revolution. The name "Somerville" was taken from four brothers of the Somerville family, William, Edward, John and James from Drishane and Castlehaven, County Cork, Ireland, who first founded the town in the 1750s. Somerville was originally a sparsely populated farming community, but rapidly grew after the completion of the railroad in the 1840s and development of water power along the Raritan River in the 1850s. Early industry included brick making from the plentiful red clay and shale on which Somerville is built. While much of the borough features distinctive Victorian architecture in several neighborhoods and along its Main Street, other periods are represented. National Register sites in Somerville include the white marble 1909 Somerville Court House and the wooden and stone colonial Wallace House (today a museum) where George Washington spent a winter during the American Revolutionary War. Near the Wallace House is the Old Dutch Parsonage, where Reverend Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh, a founder and first president of Rutgers University, then called Queens College, lived. Register listed Victorian structures include the James Harper Smith Estate (privately owned), St. John's Episcopal Church and rectory, and the Fire Museum (a vintage fire house). Other notable, register eligible structures are the Victorian train station (privately owned) and the municipal building, the former Robert Mansion.[25]

     

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