Beauty Salon School Salem VA - Train to Be a Cosmetologist

How to Pick the Best Cosmetology School near Salem Virginia

Salem VA beauty salon Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Salem VA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Salem home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding 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 types of training programs are offered.

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Defining Cosmetology

Salem VA makeup school student Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful 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 word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Salem VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

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Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

Salem VA hair design student cutting hair There are basically two avenues available to obtain 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 call for 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Salem VA business. More advanced 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 decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Beauty Programs

Salem VA student attending online beauty school Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for Salem VA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short 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’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools

Questions to ask Salem VA cosmetology schools Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Salem VA residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 24153 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Salem VA employers 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 beauty school 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 endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Salem VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose 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 dream is to start a hair salon in Salem VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. 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 growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Salem VA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Beauty Salon School Salem Virginia

Salem VA nail tech students in training Finding and enrolling in the right beauty college is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Beauty Salon School and learning more about the topic Beauty Schools Online. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Salem VA.

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Salem, Virginia

Salem is an independent city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,802.[5] It is the county seat of Roanoke County,[6] although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Salem with Roanoke County for statistical purposes.

Salem is bordered by the city of Roanoke and is included in the same Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located approximately 30 miles (48 km) from Blacksburg, 104 miles (167 km) from Greensboro, North Carolina, 120 miles (190 km) from Charlottesville, and 250 miles (400 km) from Knoxville, Tennessee.

Roanoke College is located in the city. The Division III Men's Basketball Championship and Stagg Bowl are held there annually, though the latter is scheduled to relocate beginning in 2018. Salem is also the home to a minor league baseball team, the Salem Red Sox, formerly the Salem Avalanche.