How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Dravosburg PA

How to Enroll In an Esthetician School near Dravosburg Pennsylvania

Dravosburg 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 Dravosburg PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Dravosburg residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding 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 courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Dravosburg PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be 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 kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Dravosburg PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Dravosburg PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Dravosburg PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Dravosburg PA Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Dravosburg PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Dravosburg PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Dravosburg home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

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 acknowledged 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 15034 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Dravosburg PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Dravosburg PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick 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 aspiration is to start a Dravosburg PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Dravosburg PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Dravosburg PA?

Perhaps you live in the Dravosburg 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.

Dravosburg, Pennsylvania

Dravosburg /drayːˈvoos:boing/ is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 1,792 at the 2010 census.[3] Dravosburg is located along the Monongahela River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2), of which 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 9.73%, is water.

By land, Dravosburg is entirely surrounded by West Mifflin. Across the Monongahela River to the east, Dravosburg runs adjacent with McKeesport and Glassport, both boroughs sharing a direct connector via Mansfield Bridge.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics School near Dravosburg PA

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Dravosburg PA.