How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Boyertown PA

How to Pick an Esthetics Program near Boyertown Pennsylvania

Boyertown PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Boyertown PA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Boyertown home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as 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 talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Boyertown PA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous 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 enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Boyertown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Boyertown PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Boyertown PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Boyertown PA Online esthetician classes are convenient for Boyertown PA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. 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 Esthetics Training Programs

Boyertown PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Boyertown residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 19512 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Boyertown PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references 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 regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Boyertown PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see 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 comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 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 aspiration is to open a Boyertown 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Boyertown PA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded 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 investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Boyertown PA?

Perhaps you live in the Boyertown 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.

Boyertown, Pennsylvania

Boyertown is located along the southeastern border of Berks County. It is bordered on the north, west, and south by Colebrookdale Township; to the southeast it is bordered by Douglass Township in Montgomery County.

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 3,940 people, 1,805 households, and 1,025 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,941.7 people per square mile (1,901.6/km²). There were 1,885 housing units at an average density of 2,364.2 per square mile (909.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.83% White, 0.20% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 1,805 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder, and 43.2% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.87.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics School near Boyertown PA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Boyertown PA.