Barbershop School Mountain View CA

How to Select the Right Cosmetology Program near Mountain View California

Mountain View CA wedding makeup artist with client Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Mountain View CA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Mountain View residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Mountain View CA hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Mountain View CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

nail techs training at Mountain View CA beauty school There are basically two pathways offered to receive cosmetology 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 ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Mountain View CA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the California Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Cosmetologist Schools

student attending online beauty school in Mountain View CA Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Mountain View CA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs

Questions to ask Mountain View CA cosmetology schools Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Mountain View CA residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you choose 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 94035 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Mountain View CA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Mountain View CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the California 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? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 dream is to open a hair salon in Mountain View CA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that he or she receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Mountain View CA employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Mountain View CA?

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

Mountain View, California

Mountain View is a city located in Santa Clara County, California,[12] United States, named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains.[13] From its origins as a stagecoach stop, it grew to a large suburb with a pedestrian-friendly downtown and a population of 74,066.[14] The city borders Palo Alto and the San Francisco Bay to the north, Los Altos to the south, and Moffett Federal Airfield and Sunnyvale to the east.

Situated in the southern end of the Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area, in the northwest corner of Santa Clara county, Mountain View is home to many high technology companies. In 1956, Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, the first company to develop silicon semiconductor devices in what came to be known as Silicon Valley, was established in the city by William Shockley. Today, many of the largest technology companies in the world are headquartered in the city, including Google, Mozilla Foundation, Symantec, and Intuit. The original Byte Shop computer store was opened at 1063 El Camino Real, Mountain View, by Paul Terrell, and the first 50 Apple I computers were sold from that location. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority integrates the city with the neighboring cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Sunnyvale.

The Mexican land grant of Rancho Pastoria de las Borregas was given in 1842 by Alta California Governor Juan Alvarado to Francisco Estrada. This grant was later passed on to Mariano Castro, who sold half of the land to Martin Murphy, Jr. Eventually, the former land grant became the cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale.

Mountain View CA barber trimming hair Choosing and enrolling in the right beauty college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Barbershop School. So be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select 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 narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Mountain View CA.