Everything You Need to Know to Start Cosmetology School

Have you ever thought about becoming a cosmetologist? If you’ve always loved all things beauty, then a future in this career could be a great option for you! Whether you’re just graduating high school or you want to make a career change, we know that there is a lot to learn as you begin this exciting new step of your life. That’s why we want to help by answering common questions we see as students are just getting started. Read our complete guide on starting cosmetology school to learn about how to enroll, what career options could be available, and so much more!

What is Cosmetology?

Let’s start by first explaining what cosmetology is and what you might expect from a future career. A cosmetologist is someone who is trained in a variety of beauty services to provide for clients. When people imagine a cosmetologist, they might think of someone who knows how to cut, style, and cut hair. While this is an important part of a cosmetologist’s career, this is far from the only beauty services they can provide to clients. In addition to hair, a cosmetologist could know how to perform services in nails, facials, waxing, makeup, and more!

What Would I Learn in Raphael’s Cosmetology Program?

At Raphael’s School of Beauty Culture, we make sure to include both technical and business skills in beauty so you can pursue the career you’re most passionate about after graduating. Here are just some of the lessons in our curriculum that you could learn during our program:

• Cutting and styling hair
• Chemical treatments
• Makeup application
• Relaxation massage
• Hiring employees
• Beauty industry business practices

With over 50 years of teaching students how they can become beauty professionals, we’re continually updating our curriculum to include the latest trends in the industry. During our program, you can learn all of these lessons through a combination of classroom time and practicing what you’ve learned on real guests under the direct supervision of licensed professionals. Contact us to learn more about what your personal education could look like at our school!

Why Choose a Career in Cosmetology?

When deciding on your future career, chances are that you’re looking to pursue something that is not only a stable occupation but one that you genuinely love. Cosmetology could be the perfect opportunity! Here are some benefits that could come from a career in cosmetology.

Express Your Creativity

Do you want a job where you can show off your creative abilities every day? Cosmetology could be the perfect opportunity! From helping clients with haircuts and colors to giving them amazing new nails, there are so many beauty transformations that allow you to express your own personal style. The best part is that every day will offer you something exciting and new. Each client is unique, which means that you have the chance to constantly challenge yourself by listening to what they want while adding your own touch!

You Get to Help People

There’s nothing better than feeling like what you do is making a positive impact on other people’s lives. Helping people find the style that works best for them and seeing the confidence boost it gives them is one of the most rewarding parts of working in this industry. We love when a client smiles when they first see their new look in the mirror!

The Industry is Growing

As beauty trends continue to develop, it’s no wonder that a career as a cosmetologist is growing. People are always going to need someone with an artistic eye who can make their beauty visions a reality, which is why this career could offer you great job security. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for cosmetologists is expected to grow 8% from 2018 to 2028. It feels good to know that you’re entering an industry where your skills are needed!

Start Doing What You Love Sooner

Unlike a traditional 4-year college, a cosmetology education could allow you to start practicing what you love in just over 1 year. In fact, at Raphael’s School of Beauty Culture, you could graduate from our cosmetology program in as little as 13 months! This means you can start a career and work on building a name for yourself in the beauty industry not long after deciding this is the right path for you!

How Do I Become a Cosmetologist?

Now that you know more about cosmetology, you’re ready to learn how you can start working towards this exciting new stage of your career. Before you can start doing what you love though, there are some steps you need to take to begin your dream career. We know that all these steps may seem overwhelming when you’re planning your future. That’s why we want to help by explaining all the steps in one convenient list. Here is everything you need to do before becoming a cosmetologist in Ohio.

1. Make Sure You Have All the Enrollment Requirements

At Raphael’s School of Beauty Culture, there are a few requirements that every student must meet before enrolling in our program. Although it’s never too early to start preparing for your future in beauty, these age-specific requirements need to be provided to our school as part of your application process:

• Proof that you are above the age of 16
• Proof of high school graduation or equivalent
• If you are a non-resident, you must provide proof of residency and/or authority to earn income

If you can provide everything listed, then you’re ready for the next stage of your beauty school journey!

2. Research

Applying for a cosmetology program is a big commitment! Researching more about the beauty school you could be attending is an important step to making sure that their program is right for you. Start by looking up the school’s website to get a general overview of what your experience as a student might be like there. As a beauty school student, you would be spending a lot of time with your instructors and other beauty students. It’s important that you feel comfortable with the environment and mission statement of where you’ll be studying.

3. Schedule a Tour

There’s only so much that you can learn about a school from their website. The next step is to schedule a tour! This is your opportunity to ask questions about your personal beauty journey and receive immediate answers from the people most qualified to help. Here are just questions you can ask on your tour:

• What is your school’s culture like?
• Do you offer financial aid?
• Do you offer multiple scheduling options?
• What are your school’s missions and values?

A tour is a great way for you to experience our school’s culture for yourself. Not only will your tour of our school allow you to meet our instructors and tour the facilities, but you’ll also be able to talk with students and even receive a haircut! Now you find out through your personal salon experience what you could learn through our cosmetology program.

Contact us to learn more about what to expect from a tour of our school and how to schedule yours today!

4. Complete the State Licensing Requirements

You’ve done the research and toured our school and now you’re finally ready to start the application process for our cosmetology program! Forming new connections with beauty professionals and other students who are just as passionate about cosmetology as you are is an amazing feeling.

According to the Ohio Board of Cosmetology, students must complete at least 1500 hours of training before they can apply for their cosmetology license. At Raphael’s School of Beauty Culture, students can complete our program in as little as 1800 hours. It’s important to us that students can feel prepared to not only sit for the state licensing exam and but also whatever career path comes after graduation.

5. Pass the Ohio State Licensing Exam

Once you’ve graduated from our cosmetology program, you will have the necessary hours of training to sign up for the Ohio State Licensing Exam! This test covers both a practical and theory section to make sure that you’re ready to begin your career as a cosmetologist. If you want to know more about what’s included in these sections of the test, click here.

After passing both sections of the test, you are now qualified to apply for your cosmetology license. Congratulations, this is an amazing achievement and allows you to start practicing what you love!

6. Explore Your Career Options

Now comes the most exciting part of your cosmetology journey. After putting in all your hard work and dedication, you can now decide which career path you want to pursue. With so many occupations available in the industry, it all depends on you and what you want most for your future!

Where Can I Work as a Cosmetologist?

Are you still trying to decide which career path is right for you? Your time at our cosmetology program could offer you a good start in narrowing down what area of beauty you want to focus on for your occupation. Maybe you want to specialize in something unrelated to hair like nails or makeup. Or you might even want to incorporate business into your career and eventually own a salon someday! There are many possibilities that could be opened to you. Here are just some career options you could pursue as a cosmetologist:

• Salon stylist
• Makeup artist
• Nail technician
• Cosmetology instructor
• Salon or spa owner

Ready to Start Cosmetology School?

Now that you’ve read our ultimate guide on cosmetology and what you could expect from a future in this career, we think you’re ready to start the application process! If you have any more questions about our cosmetology program and how you can get started, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our team would love to talk more with you and help you begin your cosmetology journey by scheduling a tour of our school. We look forward to hearing more from you!