How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Ford City PA

How to Enroll In an Esthetician School near Ford City Pennsylvania

Ford City PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Ford City PA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Ford City home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Ford City PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Ford City PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Ford City PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Ford City PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as 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 Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Ford City PA Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Ford City PA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Ford City PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Ford City residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 16226 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Ford City PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent 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, 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 connections with Ford City PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with 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 comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on 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 aspiration is to launch a Ford City PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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 need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Ford City PA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out 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 looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Ford City PA?

Perhaps you live in the Ford City 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.

Ford City, Pennsylvania

Ford City is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Pittsburgh along the east bank of the Allegheny River and 4 miles (6 km) south of Kittanning, the county seat. The population of Ford City at the 2010 census was 2,991.[3]

Ford City was founded in 1887 as a company town by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company (now PPG Industries) as the site for its Works No. 3 glass factory. The town was named in honor of the company founder, John Baptiste Ford (1811–1903). The factory employed as many as 5,000 workers in its heyday. PPG shut down its Ford City operations in the 1990s. The once largest employer in Armstrong County, Eljer Plumbing, shut down its Ford City plant in 2008.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.77 square miles (2.0 km2), of which 0.66 square miles (1.7 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2), or 15.28%, is water.[3]

Find the Right Esthetics Training Program near Ford City PA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Ford City PA.