How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools East Stroudsburg PA

How to Pick an Esthetician School near East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near East Stroudsburg PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more 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 Stroudsburg residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners East Stroudsburg PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only East Stroudsburg 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, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

East Stroudsburg PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to receive 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 typically 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer 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 salon or other East Stroudsburg PA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance 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 Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in East Stroudsburg PA Online esthetician programs are convenient for East Stroudsburg PA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

East Stroudsburg PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your East Stroudsburg residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you select 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 18301 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 East Stroudsburg PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with East Stroudsburg PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a East Stroudsburg PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once 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 furnish aid develop relationships with East Stroudsburg PA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may 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 cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near East Stroudsburg PA?

Perhaps you live in the East Stroudsburg 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 Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state. Originally known as "Dansbury," East Stroudsburg was renamed for geographic reasons when the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad opened a station in town. It lies east of Stroudsburg and is more populous than that town. East Stroudsburg is the largest municipality in Monroe County and in the East Stroudsburg, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area[3] as designated by the Office of Management and Budget based on data from the 2010 US Census.

East Stroudsburg is located at 41°0′5″N 75°10′48″W / 41.00139°N 75.18000°W / 41.00139; -75.18000 (41.001442, -75.180111).[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2), all of it land. When traveling west on Interstate 80, East Stroudsburg is the second town from the NJ-PA border on exit 309.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 9,840 people residing in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough was 73.2% White, 10.0% Black, 0.1% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.3% from some other race and 2.0% from two or more races. 11.8% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Pick the Right Esthetics Vocational School near East Stroudsburg PA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in East Stroudsburg PA.