How to Choose an Esthetician College near Bokoshe Oklahoma
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Bokoshe OK, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Bokoshe home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Bokoshe OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences 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 specializations including:
- Estheticians
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Esthetics Degrees
There are essentially two options offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Bokoshe OK business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Bokoshe OK students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Bokoshe home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 74930 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Bokoshe OK employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Bokoshe OK salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Oklahoma school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive 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 often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 Bokoshe OK beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Bokoshe OK businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician 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. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be offered.
Attending Esthetician School Near Bokoshe OK?
Perhaps you live in the Bokoshe Oklahoma area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.
Bokoshe, Oklahoma
Bokoshe (/bəˈkoʊʃə/ bə-KOH-shə) is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bokoshe is a Choctaw word meaning "little creek."[3] The population was 512 at the 2010 census, a 13.8 percent gain from 450 at the 2000 census.[4]
Bokoshe was a Choctaw settlement in 1886, when a post office was established here with William A. Sanner serving as the first Postmaster.[5] The principal business was a coal mine that employed ten miners. By 1900, the population was 153. The Ft. Smith and Western Railroad built tracks in 1901 to this area to ship the coal elsewhere. The Midland Valley Railroad built its own line in 1903 - 1904. The town moved south from its initial location to the intersection of the two railroads. Two other coal mines soon opened nearby, and the population grew to 483 by 1910. By 1920, the census reported a population of 869.[3]
Bokoshe's mines fared better during the Great Depression than those elsewhere in the state. By 1930, the population had declined to 690, and continued dropping to 431 in 1960. The coal industry recovered and the town's population rebounded to 588 in 1970, then fell again to 403 in 1990. The population was 450 in 2000 and 512 in 2010.[3]
Pick the Right Esthetician School near Bokoshe OK
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down 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 qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Bokoshe OK.
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