How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lehighton PA

How to Choose an Esthetics College near Lehighton Pennsylvania

Lehighton PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lehighton PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast 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 talk a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lehighton residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance 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 courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lehighton PA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word 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 take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Lehighton PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Lehighton PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically 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 require 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, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Lehighton 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 choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Lehighton PA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Lehighton PA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Lehighton PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lehighton residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 18235 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lehighton PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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 companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lehighton PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick 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 Lehighton 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Lehighton PA employers that are looking for skilled 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. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lehighton PA?

Perhaps you live in the Lehighton 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.

Lehighton, Pennsylvania

Lehighton (/li'hɑitən/) is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States, 77 miles (124 km) north of Philadelphia, and 54 miles (87 km) south of Scranton. In the past, it developed early industries because of water power from the Lehigh River. With the location of a repair facility here and its regional operations, the Lehigh Valley Railroad became for years a major employer of thousands of people from the area. Post-World War II railroad and industry restructuring led to job and population losses.

At the time of the first European's encounters with historic American Indian tribes, this area was part of the shared hunting territory of the Iroquoian Susquehannock and the Algonquian Lenape (also called the Delaware, after their language and territory along the Delaware River) peoples, who were often at odds.[5] Relatives of the peoples of New England and along the St. Lawrence valley of Canada, the Delaware bands occupied much of the coastal mid-Atlantic area in Delaware, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and lower eastern New York, including Long Island.[5] The Susquehannock confederacy's homelands were mainly along the Susquehanna River, from the Mohawk Valley in lower New York southerly to the Chesapeake and Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, but may have ranged into the 'empty lands'[6] of West Virginia, Eastern Ohio, and Western Pennsylvania.[5] The Dutch and Swedes first settled the Delaware Valley, and found the area north of the Lehigh Gap to be lightly occupied, probably by transients, but traveled regularly by the Susquehannock. This tribe traveled quite a bit according to the American Heritage Book of Indians,[5] including being described in lofty terms by John Smith when a band visited the new Jamestown, Virginia colony.[5] In the decades of the Beaver Wars in the mid-1600s, the Susquehannocks conquered and made the Lenape a tributary tribe — and also nearly inflicted an overwhelming defeat on the powerful Iroquois Confederacy,.[5] Shortly thereafter, the Susquehannocks suffered a reversal, falling first to epidemic disease that raged for three years which killed off potentially 90% of their population,[5] and a series of battles on most of their frontiers as various enemies took advantage.[5] This vacated the southeastern and central Pennsylvania regions for the Delaware peoples. However, all tribes were thereafter displaced westwards by continued colonial growth. Delaware dominance at the time of European colonization is why William Penn's settlers adopted Lenape Lenki (Delaware) names for landscape features, and less than a handful of Susquehannock names.

Lehighton was built on the site of the German Moravian Brethren's mission station "Gnadenhütten" (cabins of grace) founded in 1746. It was established as a mission to the Lenape by Moravians from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, lower on the Lehigh River.[7] The German name was transcribed as "Canatanheat" by missionary John Brainerd.[8]

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Lehighton PA

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, 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 self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lehighton PA.