How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Montgomery PA

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Montgomery Pennsylvania

Montgomery PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Montgomery PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Montgomery home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Montgomery PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Montgomery PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many 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 earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Montgomery PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways offered to get 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 typically call for 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Montgomery PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, 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 imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Montgomery PA Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Montgomery PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, 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. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Montgomery PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Montgomery home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental 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 recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 17752 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Montgomery PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Montgomery PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a Montgomery 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 seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Montgomery PA businesses 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 establishments they refer students to. Also, find out 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 Available? Most esthetician schools offer 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 might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Montgomery PA?

Perhaps you live in the Montgomery 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.

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Montgomery County, locally also referred to as Montco, is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the 71st most populous in the United States. As of 2017, the census-estimated population of the county was 826,075, representing a 3.3% increase from the 799,884 residents enumerated in the 2010 census.[1] Montgomery County is located adjacent to and northwest of Philadelphia. The county seat is Norristown.[2] Montgomery County is geographically diverse, ranging from farms and open land in the extreme north of the county to densely populated suburban neighborhoods in the southern and central portions of the county.

Montgomery County is included in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, known as the Delaware Valley. The county marks part of the Delaware Valley's northern border with the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. In 2010, Montgomery County was the 51st wealthiest county in the country by median household income. In 2008, the county was named the 9th Best Place to Raise a Family by Forbes.[3]

The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part of Philadelphia County. The first courthouse was housed in the Barley Sheaf Inn. It is believed to have been named either for Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, or for the Welsh county of Montgomeryshire (which was named after one of William the Conqueror's main counselors, Roger de Montgomerie), as it was part of the Welsh Tract, an area of Pennsylvania settled by Quakers from Wales.[4] Early histories of the county indicate the origin of the county's name as uncertain.

Choose the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Montgomery PA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Montgomery PA.