Top Cosmetology Schools Thornwood NY

How to Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Thornwood New York

Thornwood NY wedding makeup artist with client Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Thornwood NY, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction 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 bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Thornwood home. Tuition will additionally be an important 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 several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Thornwood NY hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Thornwood NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

nail techs training at Thornwood NY beauty school There are basically two avenues offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on 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 run a parlor or other Thornwood NY business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Cosmetologist Training

student attending online beauty school in Thornwood NY Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Thornwood NY students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Training Courses

Questions to ask Thornwood NY cosmetology schools Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Thornwood NY home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 10594 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Thornwood NY businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty 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 endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Thornwood NY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 desire is to start a hair salon in Thornwood NY, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative 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 beauty school, it’s essential that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Thornwood NY businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Thornwood NY?

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

Thornwood, New York

Thornwood is a hamlet (unincorporated community), census-designated place (CDP), and postal designation (with zip code 10594) in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York. The population was 3,759 at the 2010 census.[1]

In 1891, Lewis Smadback started a very successful development at what is now Thornwood. The village of Sherman Park was incorporated in 1906 and the name was changed to Hillside in 1909. The village was dissolved in 1914, when Thornwood took its current name and became a hamlet within the Town of Mount Pleasant. It is possible that Thornwood is a derivative of "Hawthorne's Woods," since Hawthorne is an adjacent hamlet.

Thornwood once had a large and thriving Westchester marble quarry near its heart, the intersection of Route 141 and Kensico Road (known as Four Corners). Dating back to 1845, the quarry supplied white marble which helped build St. Patrick's Cathedral (hence the name of Marble Avenue which runs through the hamlet). The quarry pit was filled in during the mid-1980s, and the Town Center shopping mall was constructed over it.

Thornwood NY barber trimming hair Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Top Cosmetology Schools. So make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Thornwood NY.