How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bala Cynwyd PA

How to Pick an Esthetician Training Program near Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania

Bala Cynwyd PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bala Cynwyd PA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Bala Cynwyd residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bala Cynwyd PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Bala Cynwyd PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Bala Cynwyd PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Bala Cynwyd PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Bala Cynwyd PA Online esthetician programs are convenient for Bala Cynwyd PA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part 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 decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Schools

Bala Cynwyd PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Bala Cynwyd home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 19004 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Bala Cynwyd PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Bala Cynwyd PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand 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 goal 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 vision is to launch a Bala Cynwyd PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included 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 academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Bala Cynwyd PA employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many 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 find out 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 as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bala Cynwyd PA?

Perhaps you live in the Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania 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.

Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

Bala Cynwyd ( /ˈbælə ˈkɪnwʊd/ BAL-ə-KIN-wuud)[1] is a community in Lower Merion Township which is located on the Main Line in southeastern Pennsylvania, bordering the western edge of Philadelphia at US Route 1 (City Avenue). It was originally two separate towns, Bala and Cynwyd, but is commonly treated as a single community. This came about when a single US Post Office served both towns (the "Bala Cynwyd" Branch) using ZIP code 19004. The community was long known as hyphenated Bala-Cynwyd. Bala and Cynwyd are currently served by separate stations on SEPTA's Cynwyd Line of Regional Rail.

Bala Cynwyd lies in the Welsh Tract of Pennsylvania and was settled in the 1680s by Welsh Quakers, who named it after the town of Bala and the village of Cynwyd in Wales. A mixed residential community made up predominantly of single-family detached homes, it extends west of the Philadelphia city limits represented by City Avenue from Old Lancaster Road at 54th Street west to Meeting House Lane and then along Manayunk and Conshohocken State Roads north to Mary Watersford Road, then east along Belmont Avenue back to City. This large residential district contains some of Lower Merion's oldest and finest stone mansions, built mainly from 1880 through the 1920s and located in the sycamore-lined district between Montgomery Avenue and Levering Mill Road, as well as split level tract houses built east of Manayunk Road just after World War II.

The oldest commercial district and the original center of Bala Cynwyd straddles the bridge over the old Pennsylvania Railroad tracks, originally belonging to the Columbia Railroad and now part of the SEPTA Cynwyd Line, along Montgomery Avenue at Bala Avenue. This district, long on the National Register of Historic Places, was settled shortly after William Penn's landing in Pennsylvania in 1682 and contains the village's oldest commercial buildings, some dating to the earliest years of the 19th century.[2] Bala Avenue itself is an extension of this original town center and comprises a specialized commercial district of its own more than a century old; it has long been known for its children's clothing stores, women's dress and consignment shops, the Bala Theater and a number of small restaurants. The remainder of Bala Cynwyd's original commercial district extends south along Montgomery Avenue as part of the Bala Cynwyd-Merion Commercial District and is coextensive with the commercial center of Merion, with its popular delicatessens and restaurants.[3]

Choose the Right Esthetics College near Bala Cynwyd PA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, 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 right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Bala Cynwyd PA.