How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Gilbertsville PA

How to Find the Right Esthetics Program near Gilbertsville Pennsylvania

Gilbertsville PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Gilbertsville PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference 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 speak a bit further about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Gilbertsville residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh 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 bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Gilbertsville PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive 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 term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Gilbertsville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties 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 certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Gilbertsville PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options available to get 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 call for 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 wish to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Gilbertsville PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Gilbertsville PA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Gilbertsville PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary 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 Esthetics Degree Programs

Gilbertsville PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Gilbertsville residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 19525 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 Gilbertsville PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Gilbertsville PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 aspiration is to launch a Gilbertsville 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Gilbertsville PA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering 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 broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Gilbertsville PA?

Perhaps you live in the Gilbertsville 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.

Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania

Gilbertsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in northwest Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in Douglass Township at the junction of Routes 73 and 100. The population was 4,832 at the 2010 census, and the ZIP code is 19525. The name is also applied to an indeterminate adjacent section of New Hanover Township served by the Gilbertsville Post Office, and in fact the New Hanover Township offices are located in an area considered to be part of Gilbertsville.[1] Boyertown School District covers the town of Gilbertsville. Gilbertsville is considered a rural area Northwest of Philadelphia.

Gilbertsville began when the descendants of William Gilbert, an English astronomer, physician, and physicist, decided to permanently move to America. Although many of the Gilberts fought for America in the Revolutionary War, Abijah Gilbert did not relocate his family until 1790. In the fall of 1789, 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of land were purchased for the modern-day price of $2000. It was the first land purchased from the Morris Trust in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The Gilberts purchased more land in later years. A Gilbert Family letter recalls that as Abijah Gilbert's son, Joseph Thomas Gilbert, was disembarking in Philadelphia, George Washington patted him on the head and said, "A fine, rosy-cheeked English boy, who will make a good American Citizen."

The name Gilbertsville derived from the large number of Gilbert family, descended from Hans George Gilbert who relocated from Hoffenheim, Germany in 1750. He and his sons Bernhard and Johan George Gilbert are buried in the New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Churchyard. The village was originally a part of McCall's Manor.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Training Program near Gilbertsville PA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent 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. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Gilbertsville PA.