How to Pick the Best Cosmetology Program near Great Falls Virginia
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Great Falls VA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Great Falls residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance 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 discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
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Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application 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 basically 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, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Great Falls VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client 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 have many titles 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 earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must 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 employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
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Cosmetologist Degrees
There are essentially two options offered to obtain 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 normally take 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Great Falls VA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Beauty Courses
Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Great Falls VA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be 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 Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Great Falls VA residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 22066 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Great Falls VA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Great Falls VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on 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 vision is to start a hair salon in Great Falls VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that she or he gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Great Falls VA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.
Cosmetology Schools Online Great Falls Virginia
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Cosmetology Schools Online and learning more about the topic Good Colleges For Cosmetology. So make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Great Falls VA.
Other Beautiful Virginia Locations
Great Falls, Virginia
Great Falls is located at 38°59′53″N 077°17′18″W / 38.99806°N 77.28833°W / 38.99806; -77.28833 (38.9981653, −77.2883157) at an elevation of 344 feet (105 m).[3][8] Located on Virginia State Route 7 in Northern Virginia, Great Falls is 15 miles (24 km) west-northwest of downtown Washington, D.C. and 10.5 miles (16.9 km) north of Fairfax, the county seat.[9]
Great Falls lies in the Piedmont upland on the right bank of the Potomac River.[10][11] The river forms the northern and eastern border of the CDP, and several of its tributaries flow north and east through the CDP. From north to south, these include Nichols Run, Clarks Branch, and Difficult Run. Difficult Run forms the southeastern border of the CDP. Two of its tributaries, Captain Hickory Run and Piney Run, flow southeast through the southern part of the CDP.[9][11] The Great Falls of the Potomac River, the community's namesake, are on the east side of the CDP.[11]
As a suburb of Washington, D.C., Great Falls is a part of both the Washington Metropolitan Area and the larger Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. It is bordered on all sides by other Washington suburbs, including: Darnestown and Travilah, Maryland to the north, Potomac, Maryland to the east, McLean to the southeast, Wolf Trap to the south, Reston and Dranesville to the southwest, Sterling to the west, and Lowes Island to the northwest.[12]
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