How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Freedom PA

How to Pick an Esthetician Training Program near Freedom Pennsylvania

Freedom PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Freedom PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast 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 speak a bit further regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Freedom residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Freedom PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Freedom PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, 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 formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Freedom PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options 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 complete, 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Freedom PA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Freedom PA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Freedom PA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend 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 conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 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 devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Freedom PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Freedom home, as well as the cost 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program 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 certified 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 15042 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Freedom PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Freedom PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total 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 specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Freedom 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Freedom PA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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? Many esthetician schools provide 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 find out 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Freedom PA?

Perhaps you live in the Freedom 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.

Freedom, Pennsylvania

Freedom is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Ohio River 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Pittsburgh. In the early years of the twentieth century, chief industries included the production of oil, caskets, and monuments. Today, Freedom is considered a northern suburb of Greater Pittsburgh. The population was 1,569 at the 2010 census.

In 1824, the Harmony Society returned to Pennsylvania, from Indiana. The society settled in what is now Ambridge, Pennsylvania, five miles (8 km) up the Ohio River. One of the reasons the society left Indiana was because of harassment for their abolitionist activities. Their settlement was in Beaver County along the Ohio River. There they founded "Ökonomie," now better known as Old Economy Village. Here the Society gained worldwide recognition for its religious devotion and economic prosperity.

The community of Freedom was founded in 1832 by Jonathan Betz and Stephen Phillips, co-owners of a steamboat building business. They purchased about 100 acres (0.40 km2) of land for $2,000.00 from General Abner Lacock. The original village was surveyed and plotted by Simon Meredith. All of the lots, streets and alleys were located with special preference to the steam-boat building business, the only business at the time. Later, an additional 39 acres (160,000 m2) were purchased from Captain William Vicary for $2,500.00. Vicary himself retained some property in the area, including a stone house; today, the house remains a local landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3]

Select the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Freedom PA

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick 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 filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Freedom PA.