How to Choose Between a Beauty Academy and College

Looking for the perfect Everett area beauty academy?

Anyone who wants a career in the beauty industry has a number of options for starting out. There’s beauty college, which focus on the basics of beauty principles and techniques. You also have beauty schools and academies, which offers courses on the basics. They also offer advanced courses for those who want to learn more about specific fields in cosmetology. If you are on the fence about what option to take, here are a few tips to help you decide.

Know what you want to focus on

If you want to get down to business and learn about the basics of cosmetology and beauty, a college beauty course would be your best bet. Community colleges usually take a back-to-basics approach.

If this is your first introduction to beauty and cosmetology and you want to build a good foundation, this is easily a good choice. Beauty academy programs may differ in their approach.

For example, some place a focus on branding and marketing. This may be more suitable for those who already have a good foundation in cosmetology basics. Other schools may have a more intense focus on make-up. They offer more courses geared towards make-up artistry and application.

Choose a school that offers the better training program

Community colleges have training programs staffed by students. Students can cut and style hair, apply make-up and apply what they learn in the classroom.

More expensive academies offer this kind of training as well. They also have the option of taking in paying clients.

In some cases, beauty academies have better facilities. Some schools operate their own salons where students can train while being paid at the same time. A good training program is essential if you want to graduate with the best skills. So determine the quality of hands on instruction provided by the school.

Know your budget

A community college cosmetology course costs less than a course at other schools such as Aveda or Paul Mitchell. In fact, many stylists and make-up artists will tell you that you can easily learn all the same things, for a fraction of the price. If your budget is tight, the practical option would be to enroll at a community college.

Know your logistics

The school you choose should be accessible to you. This is one component that will help you stay excited about going to school everyday. A community college is a good choice if you have a limited budget and the college is near. However, if you live closer to a good beauty academy, that may be a better choice.

Choosing where to get your education can be a daunting task. Especially if you want to choose a school that will provide you with the best job opportunities once you graduate. Going to an expensive school will not guarantee success. And going to community college won’t mean that you can’t land a good job for yourself at some prestigious salon.

It all depends on which school has the right mix of accessibility, affordability, and curriculum. Also, you obviously have to work hard and make the most of every chance you get.