How to Choose the Best Beauty College near Oakdale Wisconsin
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Oakdale WI, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Oakdale home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
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What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Oakdale WI 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 homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
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Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two pathways available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Oakdale WI business. More advanced degrees are not common, 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 important to make certain that it’s approved by the Wisconsin Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.
Online Beauty Classes
Online beauty programs are convenient for Oakdale WI students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Oakdale WI residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 54649 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Oakdale WI businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Oakdale WI salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Wisconsin 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 beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 open a hair salon in Oakdale WI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s crucial that she or he receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Oakdale WI employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Cosmetology Colleges Near Me Oakdale Wisconsin
Picking and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Cosmetology Colleges Near Me and learning more about the topic Cosmetology Beauty School. So make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Oakdale WI.
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Oakdale, Wisconsin
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 297 people, 129 households, and 75 families residing in the village. The population density was 345.3 inhabitants per square mile (133.3/km2). There were 137 housing units at an average density of 159.3 per square mile (61.5/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 98.3% White, 0.7% African American, 0.7% Native American, and 0.3% Asian.
There were 129 households of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.9% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.96.
The median age in the village was 39.8 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.7% were from 25 to 44; 27.6% were from 45 to 64; and 15.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.
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