Cosmetology Night School Lowell MA

How to Find the Right Cosmetologist Academy near Lowell Massachusetts

Lowell MA wedding makeup artist with client Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Lowell MA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lowell home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Lowell MA hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Lowell MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must 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 working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

nail techs training at Lowell MA beauty school There are basically two options available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Lowell MA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Beauty Courses

student attending online beauty school in Lowell MA Online beauty schools are advantageous for Lowell MA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. 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 Degree Programs

Questions to ask Lowell MA cosmetology schools Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lowell MA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 01850 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lowell MA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lowell MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Massachusetts 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 Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 hair salon in Lowell MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that he or she gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Lowell MA businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs 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. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Lowell MA?

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

Lowell, Massachusetts

Lowell is a city in the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Located in Middlesex County, Lowell (along with Cambridge) was a county seat until Massachusetts disbanded county government in 1999.[3] With an estimated population of 109,945 in 2014,[4] it is the fourth-largest city in Massachusetts, and the second-largest in the Boston metropolitan statistical area.[5] The city is also part of a smaller Massachusetts statistical area called Greater Lowell, as well as New England's Merrimack Valley region.

Incorporated in 1826 to serve as a mill town, Lowell was named after Francis Cabot Lowell, a local figure in the Industrial Revolution. The city became known as the cradle of the American Industrial Revolution, due to a large series of textile mills and factories. Many of the Lowell's historic manufacturing sites were later preserved by the National Park Service to create Lowell National Historical Park.[6] During the Cambodian genocide, the city took in an influx of refugees, leading to a Cambodia Town and America's second-largest Cambodian-American population.[7]

Founded in the 1820s as a planned manufacturing center for textiles, Lowell is located along the rapids of the Merrimack River, 25 miles northwest of Boston in what was once the farming community of East Chelmsford, Massachusetts. The so-called Boston Associates, including Nathan Appleton and Patrick Tracy Jackson of the Boston Manufacturing Company, named the new mill town after their visionary leader, Francis Cabot Lowell,[8] who had died five years before its 1823 incorporation. As Lowell's population grew, it acquired land from neighboring towns, and diversified into a full-fledged urban center. Many of the men who composed the labor force for constructing the canals and factories had immigrated from Ireland, escaping the poverty and Potato Famines of the 1830s and 1840s. The mill workers, young single women called Mill Girls, generally came from the farm families of New England.

Lowell MA barber trimming hair Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology school is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Cosmetology Night School. So be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize 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 pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. 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 right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Lowell MA.