How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools East Pittsburgh PA

How to Choose an Esthetician Training Program near East Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

East Pittsburgh PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near East Pittsburgh PA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your East Pittsburgh home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners East Pittsburgh PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only East Pittsburgh PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work 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 practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some 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, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

East Pittsburgh PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon 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 finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other East Pittsburgh PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in East Pittsburgh PA Online esthetician programs are convenient for East Pittsburgh PA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

East Pittsburgh PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your East Pittsburgh residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you choose 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 15112 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous East Pittsburgh PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with East Pittsburgh PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a East Pittsburgh 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 rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with East Pittsburgh PA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near East Pittsburgh PA?

Perhaps you live in the East Pittsburgh 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.

East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

East Pittsburgh is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of the confluence of the Monongahela and the Allegheny rivers at Pittsburgh. The population in 1900 stood at 2,883, and in 1910, at 5,615. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 1,822,[3] having fallen from 6,079 in 1940. George Westinghouse erected large works there which supplied equipment to the great power plants at Niagara Falls and for the elevated and rapid-transit systems of New York. Nearby, the George Westinghouse Bridge over Turtle Creek is a prominent fixture in the area, which is very near the borough of Braddock.

In 1928, an early demonstration of a new medium was conducted at the Westinghouse laboratories in East Pittsburgh. Eventually, the new medium became known as television. Vladimir Zworykin worked for Westinghouse Electric Corporation at that time. He lived in the borough of Wilkinsburg. The Westinghouse Works became the Research and Business Park "Keystone Commons" in 1989.[4]

The East Pittsburgh School District included Bessemer Avenue Elementary School and East Pittsburgh Junior/Senior High School on Howard Street. East Pittsburgh's school colors were green and white, and its athletic teams were called the Shamrocks.

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near East Pittsburgh PA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, 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 exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in East Pittsburgh PA.