How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Mount Union PA

How to Select an Esthetician Program near Mount Union Pennsylvania

Mount Union PA esthetician client with cucumber facialNow that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Mount Union PA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Mount Union residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Mount Union PACosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous 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. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Mount Union PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Mount Union PA esthetician client with face maskThere are essentially two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Mount Union PA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Mount Union PAOnline esthetician programs are accommodating for Mount Union 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 available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Mount Union PA models benefit from esthetic treatmentsBelow is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Mount Union residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 17066 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Mount Union PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Mount Union PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete 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 specific 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 decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Mount Union 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 rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Mount Union PA employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Mount Union PA?

Perhaps you live in the Mount Union 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.

Mount Union, Pennsylvania

Mount Union is a borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, approximately 44 miles (71 km) southeast of Altoona and 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Huntingdon, on the Juniata River. In the vicinity are found bituminous coal, ganister rock, fire clay, and some timber. A major Easter grass factory is located in the northern quadrant of the borough limits; until May 2007, the facility was owned by Bleyer Industries.[3] The population was 2,447 at the 2010 census.

Mount Union was largely influenced by industry. It was at one time the world's largest producer of refractory material (silica brick), with three plants – General Refractories, United States Refractories, and Harbison Walker. The refractory business in Mount Union lasted from 1899 to about 1972, with limited production into the early 1990s. Other industries included two tanneries, a tanning extract plant, coal yards, an explosives and munitions plant (Aetna), and foundry and machine shops.

Mount Union was the northern terminus for the narrow gauge East Broad Top Railroad, connecting to the Main Line of the Middle Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad (now Norfolk Southern). The EBT maintained a large dual-gauge yard and coal cleaning plant in Mount Union and supplied coal to the Refractory plants. The EBT ceased operations in 1956 but the track is still in place and owned by the railroad. From 1998 to 2010, the Mount Union Connecting Railroad attempted to reactivate the EBT main track through Mount Union and rehabilitated it, but only a couple cars were serviced and none moved over the EBT trackage.

Find the Right Esthetics Training Program near Mount Union PA

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize 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 compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Mount Union PA.

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