How to Find the Best Cosmetology College near Chantilly Virginia
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Chantilly VA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Chantilly home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example 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 little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
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Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Chantilly VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
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Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two options offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Chantilly VA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online beauty schools are advantageous for Chantilly VA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Chantilly VA home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 20151 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Chantilly 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 Great Reputation? Every beauty institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Chantilly VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Chantilly VA, 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 deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included 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 growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Chantilly VA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher 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 cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Universities That Offer Cosmetology Chantilly Virginia
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Universities That Offer Cosmetology and learning more about the topic School Cosmetology. So make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Chantilly VA.
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Chantilly, Virginia
Chantilly is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Fairfax County, Virginia, United States.[3][4] The population was 23,039 at the 2010 census.[5] Chantilly is named after an early-19th-century mansion and farm, which in turn took the name of an 18th-century plantation that was located in Westmoreland County, Virginia.[6] The name "Chantilly" originated in France with the Château de Chantilly,[7][8] about 25 miles north of Paris.
Located in the Northern Virginia portion of the Washington metropolitan area, Chantilly sits approximately 25 miles (40 km) west of Washington, D.C., via Interstate 66 and U.S. Route 50. It is located between Centreville to the south, Herndon and Reston to the north and northeast, respectively, and Fairfax 7 miles (11 km) to the southeast. U.S. Route 50 and Virginia State Route 28 intersect in Chantilly, and these highways provide access to the Dulles/Reston/Tysons Corner technology corridor and other major employment centers in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Chantilly was home to a number of colonial plantations in the 1700s, including the Sully Plantation (now the Sully Historic Site) built by Richard Bland Lee I. Other plantations included George Richard Lee Turberville's "Leeton Grove"[9] (originally a 5,000+ acre plantation, the main house of which still stands at 4619 Walney Rd.), the John Hutchison Farm, and the Chantilly Plantation, after which Chantilly is named. Cornelia Lee Turberville Stuart, who was born at Leeton and was the daughter of George Richard Lee Turberville and Henrietta Lee, inherited a portion of Leeton in 1817 from her father. Stuart and her husband Charles Calvert Stuart, whom she had married in 1816, constructed the Chantilly Plantation and named it after the Westmoreland County plantation owned by her grandfather, Richard Henry Lee, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. During the Civil War, federal troops destroyed by fire the Chantilly Plantation manor house. One building remains, a stone house across Route 50 from the Greenbriar Shopping Center. While it is not clear what this stone house was used for, most historical evidence suggests it was probably a plantation overseer's quarters during the antebellum period, and a tavern or boarding house following the war. After the war, Cornelia Stuart, who had become deeply in debt, sold her 1,064-acre (431 ha) Chantilly estate. The advertisement for the sale referenced several "tenements", one of which was the Stone House.
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