How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Montgomeryville PA

How to Pick an Esthetician Training Program near Montgomeryville Pennsylvania

Montgomeryville PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Montgomeryville PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction 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 talk a little bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Montgomeryville residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Montgomeryville PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course 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 basically 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, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Montgomeryville 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, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations 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 have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Montgomeryville PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to receive 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 normally take 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Montgomeryville PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Montgomeryville PA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Montgomeryville PA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Montgomeryville PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Montgomeryville residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 18936 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 Montgomeryville PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college 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 references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Montgomeryville PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 Montgomeryville PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind 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 aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Montgomeryville PA businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Montgomeryville PA?

Perhaps you live in the Montgomeryville 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.

Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania

Montgomeryville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 12,624 at the 2010 census. Montgomeryville is about 30 miles from the center of Philadelphia. According to a 2010 Forbes magazine/Yahoo.com survey, Montgomeryville ranks 5th in America's top 10 affordable suburbs. [1] It is part of the North Penn Valley region that is centered around the borough of Lansdale.

As of the 2010 census, there were 12,624 people residing in the CDP. The racial makeup of the CDP was 77.5% White Non-Hispanic,14.6% Asian, 4.4% African American, 0.06% American Indian, 1.1% were two or more races, and 0.07% were some other race. 2.3% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.[2]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 12,031 people, 4,114 households, and 3,278 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,521.8 people per square mile (973.8/km2). There were 4,158 housing units at an average density of 871.5/sq mi (336.6/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.55% White, 3.26% African American, 0.06% Native American, 7.75% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Training Program near Montgomeryville PA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Montgomeryville PA.