How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Fogelsville PA

How to Find the Right Esthetician College near Fogelsville Pennsylvania

Fogelsville 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 Fogelsville PA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Fogelsville home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Fogelsville PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through 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 term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Fogelsville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Fogelsville PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to obtain 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 normally require 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 want to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Fogelsville PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many 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 section.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Fogelsville PA Online esthetician classes are convenient for Fogelsville PA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous 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 frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Fogelsville PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Fogelsville home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 18051 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Fogelsville PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician institute 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 endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Fogelsville PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand 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 goal 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 Fogelsville 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he receives help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Fogelsville PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, 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 Assistance Available? Almost all 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 find out 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 available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Fogelsville PA?

Perhaps you live in the Fogelsville 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.

Fogelsville, Pennsylvania

While the village of Fogelsville can be found at ZIP code 18051, immediately surrounding areas to the east and south use the Allentown ZIP code of 18106 or the Breinigsville ZIP code of 18031, respectively. Downtown is located at approximately 40° 34′ 59.45″ N, 75° 37′ 57.37″ W. The 1990 census reported a population of 900, although a more recent estimate places the population at about 3200.

Fogelsville was once the terminus of the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad (later extended to Rittenhouse Gap) and the site of extensive iron ore mining to supply the iron furnaces of the Lehigh Valley.

Fogelsville is the location of Minority Health Care Communications, Inc, founded in 2002. MHCC Inc. is the steward organization of The National Conference on African-Americans and AIDS, National Conference on Latinos and AIDS, and The National Conference on African-Americans and Cancer.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician School near Fogelsville PA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Fogelsville PA.