Beautician Degree Herndon VA

How to Select the Right Cosmetologist Degree Program near Herndon Virginia

Herndon VA wedding makeup artist with client Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Herndon VA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled 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 kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Herndon residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Herndon VA hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Herndon VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing 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 become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

nail techs training at Herndon VA beauty school There are primarily two avenues available to get 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 normally 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Herndon 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 program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Programs

student attending online beauty school in Herndon VA Online beauty programs are advantageous for Herndon VA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Schools

Questions to ask Herndon VA cosmetology schools Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Herndon VA residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider 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 decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you pick 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 20170 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Herndon VA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Herndon VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Herndon VA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that he or she gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Herndon VA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad 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. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Herndon VA?

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

Herndon, Virginia

Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 23,292 at the 2010 census, which makes it the largest of three incorporated towns in the county.[3]

Herndon was named for Commander William Lewis Herndon, American naval explorer and author of Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon. Commander Herndon captained the ill-fated steamer SS Central America, going down with his ship while helping to save over 150 of its passengers and crew. The settlement was named Herndon in 1858. In the 1870s, many Northern soldiers and their families came to settle in the area, taking advantage of moderate climate and low land prices. Herndon also offered a group of friendly and local Native Americans who helped the town to prosper via trade and instruction.[4]

Originally part of the rural surroundings of the Washington, D.C. area, the town of Herndon developed into a hub of dairy farming and vacationing for area residents, aided by its presence along the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad (later to become the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad).[4] When the railroad was converted into a hike-and-bike trail, Herndon capitalized on history and small-town feel (in a major metropolitan region) by converting its train station into a museum and visitors center and by relocating a Norfolk Southern Railway caboose to a nearby site and repainting it in W&OD livery.[5]

Herndon VA barber trimming hair Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty school 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 Beautician Degree. So make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize 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 compare 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 impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Herndon VA.