Hair Stylist School The Plains VA

How to Pick the Right Beauty School near The Plains Virginia

The Plains VA wedding makeup artist with client Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near The Plains VA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your The Plains home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

The Plains VA hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually 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, almost all states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only The Plains VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

nail techs training at The Plains VA beauty school There are basically two options available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other The Plains VA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Beauty Training

student attending online beauty school in The Plains VA Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for The Plains VA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Training Programs

Questions to ask The Plains VA cosmetology schools Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your The Plains VA home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 20198 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous The Plains VA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional 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 placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with The Plains VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 essential 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in The Plains VA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with The Plains VA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, 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 Offered? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial help may be offered.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in The Plains VA?

If you are considering attending Beauty School in The Plains VA or in a nearby area, following is some interesting and useful information regarding the location of your new school campus.

The Plains, Virginia

The Plains is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 217 at the 2010 census,[3] down from 266 at the 2000 census. It is centered on the intersection of Virginia Route 55 (John Marshall Highway) and Virginia Route 245 (Old Tavern Road). The town of The Plains, Virginia is situated off of Interstate 66. The mayor of The Plains is Blake Gallagher.

The Plains is located in northeastern Fauquier County at 38°51′46″N 77°46′32″W / 38.86278°N 77.77556°W / 38.86278; -77.77556 (38.862698, -77.775464).[4] VA 55 leads southeast 10 miles (16 km) to Gainesville and west 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to Marshall. VA 245 leads southwest 1 mile (1.6 km) to Interstate 66 at Exit 31. I-66 leads east 45 miles (72 km) to Washington, D.C. and west 24 miles (39 km) to Front Royal.

Highways directly serving The Plains include Virginia State Route 55 and Virginia State Route 245. SR 55 extends east and west, serving as a local service road to nearby Interstate 66, while SR 245 provides the most direct connection to I-66 from The Plains.

The Plains VA barber trimming hair Choosing and enrolling in the right beauty school is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Hair Stylist School. So be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, 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 ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in The Plains VA.