How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Ferndale PA

How to Pick an Esthetician College near Ferndale Pennsylvania

Ferndale PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Ferndale PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Ferndale residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Ferndale PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Ferndale PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Ferndale PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Ferndale PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Ferndale PA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Ferndale PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion 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 away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. 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 Esthetician Degree Programs

Ferndale PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Ferndale home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 18921 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Ferndale PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Ferndale PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see 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 broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 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 start a Ferndale PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Ferndale PA employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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 Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Ferndale PA?

Perhaps you live in the Ferndale 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.

Ferndale, Pennsylvania

Ferndale is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,636 at the 2010 census,[3] down from 1,834 at the 2000 census.

Ferndale is located in southwestern Cambria County at 40°17′17″N 78°55′5″W / 40.28806°N 78.91806°W / 40.28806; -78.91806 (40.287974, -78.918091).[4] It is bordered to the north by the city of Johnstown, to the west by the unincorporated community of Elim, and to the east and south by the Stonycreek River, across which to the south is Riverside.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Ferndale has a total area of 0.41 square miles (1.07 km2), of which 0.39 square miles (1.01 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2), or 6.00%, is water.[3]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics School near Ferndale PA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Ferndale PA.