How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Connoquenessing PA

How to Select an Esthetics College near Connoquenessing Pennsylvania

Connoquenessing PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Connoquenessing PA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Connoquenessing home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Connoquenessing PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course 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 actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Connoquenessing PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Connoquenessing PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered 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 usually take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Connoquenessing 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 course you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Connoquenessing PA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Connoquenessing PA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Connoquenessing PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Connoquenessing home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 16027 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Connoquenessing PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Connoquenessing PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. 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 complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Connoquenessing PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she receives aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Connoquenessing PA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Connoquenessing PA?

Perhaps you live in the Connoquenessing 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.

Connoquenessing Creek

It rises in eastern Butler County and flows southwest, through the Lake Oneida reservoir and past Butler, then WNW in a meandering course past Eidenau where Breakneck Creek is received, and then continuing past Harmony and Zelienople. It receives Slippery Rock Creek from the northwest near Ellwood City, then joins the Beaver west of Ellwood City, approximately 3 mi (5 km) further downstream.

In 2000, a scientific study was conducted to determine the health of the creek. Researchers discovered that only the Mississippi River received more toxic materials than the Connoquenessing, making the small river the second most polluted waterway in the United States. "The Armco Inc. steel facility in Butler, purchased last September [1999] by AK Steel, ranked first nationally for the amount of pollutant discharges. The steelmaker legally discharged more than 29 million pounds of nitrate compounds -- a waste produced when nitric acid is used to "pickle" or clean the surface of raw steel—into Connoquenessing Creek."[1]

However, as of 2010, the Connoquenessing Creek was not listed in the national Top 10 for polluted waterways. Also, as of 2010, Armco Inc. steel in Butler was not listed in the Top 20 in regards to national pollutant dischargers.[2]

Enroll in the Right Esthetician School near Connoquenessing PA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information 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 outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Connoquenessing PA.