How to Pick an Esthetician College near Weatherford Oklahoma
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Weatherford OK, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Weatherford residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 kinds of training programs are available.
What is 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 a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Weatherford OK 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 begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Estheticians
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Esthetician Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two avenues available to receive esthetician 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 take 12 to 18 months to finish, 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. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. 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 Weatherford OK business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.
Online Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Weatherford OK students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Weatherford home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college 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 can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 73096 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Weatherford OK businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering 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. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Weatherford OK salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend 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 total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Weatherford OK beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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 require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she receives help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Weatherford OK businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High 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 esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of 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 with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial help may be offered.
Attending Esthetician School Near Weatherford OK?
Perhaps you live in the Weatherford 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.
Weatherford, Oklahoma
Weatherford is located at 35°32′18″N 98°41′14″W / 35.53833°N 98.68722°W / 35.53833; -98.68722 (35.5384097, -98.6872467). The elevation is 1,634 feet (498 m).[2] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.44 square miles (16.7 km2).[7]
Situated on land made available to homesteaders as part of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Opening on April 19, 1892, Weatherford was incorporated on August 3, 1898, on a townsite location chosen by banking and civic leader Beeks Erick. By 1900, the town's population was 1,017. The town's original post office was located approximately two miles north of town, on William John and Lorinda Powell Weatherford's homestead. Lorinda Weatherford served as its postmaster and namesake. In its early years, farming and ranching provided the major economic base, with corn, cotton, and maize the major crops. Additionally, a brick plant, a cement plant, and a broom factory provided jobs as well as supplies for early residents.[8]
As of the census[5] of 2015, there were 12,126 people, 3,991 households, and 2,187 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,699.3 people per square mile (656.3/km²). There were 4,468 housing units at an average density of 770.1 per square mile (297.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.7% White, 4.9% African American, 2.3% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.76% from other races, and 6.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.8% of the population.
Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Weatherford OK
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate 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 good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Weatherford OK.
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