How to Select an Esthetician School near Marlow Oklahoma
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Marlow OK, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin 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 relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Marlow residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Marlow OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Estheticians
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Esthetics Degrees
There are basically two avenues available to get esthetician 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 generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Marlow OK business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.
Online Esthetician Training
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Marlow OK students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large 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 back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Marlow residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 73055 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Marlow OK businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician 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 endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Marlow OK salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Oklahoma school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in 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 aspiration is to open a Marlow OK beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Marlow OK employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations 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 Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be offered.
Attending Esthetician School Near Marlow OK?
Perhaps you live in the Marlow Oklahoma area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.
Marlow, Oklahoma
Marlow is located in northern Stephens County, Oklahoma, in the southern part of the state, at 34°38′36″N 97°57′32″W / 34.64333°N 97.95889°W / 34.64333; -97.95889 (34.643410, -97.958806).[3]
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,662 people, 1,862 households, and 1,257 families residing in the city.[6] The population density was 657 people per square mile (253/km²). There were 2,119 housing units at an average density of 298.5 per square mile (115/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.2% white, 0.2% African American, 5.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 5.6% from two or more races.[6]Hispanics or Latinos were 4.4% of the population, having doubled since 2000.
There were 1,862 households out of which half (50.1%) were married couples, a third (34.3%) included children under the age of 18, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families.[6] Less than a third (28.9) of households were made up of individuals; 14.5% of households had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[6] The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.[6]
Pick the Right Esthetician School near Marlow OK
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address 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. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Marlow OK.
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