How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Coopersburg PA

How to Select an Esthetics School near Coopersburg Pennsylvania

Coopersburg PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Coopersburg PA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction 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 further regarding that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Coopersburg home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance 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 discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Coopersburg PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Coopersburg PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Coopersburg PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Coopersburg PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Coopersburg PA Online esthetician classes are convenient for Coopersburg PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Coopersburg PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Coopersburg home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 18036 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 Coopersburg PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding 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 referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Coopersburg PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Coopersburg 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Coopersburg PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Coopersburg PA?

Perhaps you live in the Coopersburg 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.

Coopersburg, Pennsylvania

Coopersburg is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a suburb of Allentown in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is 40 miles north of Philadelphia, 7 miles south of Allentown, and 76 miles west of New York City. Lehigh County is included in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the New York City-Newark, New Jersey, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 2,386 people residing in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough was 95.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 2,582 people, 983 households, and 671 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,780.7 people per square mile (1,072.0/km²). There were 1,050 housing units at an average density of 1,130.8 per square mile (435.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.01% White, 0.70% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.70% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.

Find the Right Esthetics School near Coopersburg PA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Coopersburg PA.