How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools New Bethlehem PA

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Training Program near New Bethlehem Pennsylvania

New Bethlehem PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near New Bethlehem PA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your New Bethlehem residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners New Bethlehem PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only New Bethlehem PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by 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 formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

New Bethlehem PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options available 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 call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other New Bethlehem PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in New Bethlehem PA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for New Bethlehem PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced given 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 courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Programs

New Bethlehem PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your New Bethlehem residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 16242 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of New Bethlehem PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent 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. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with New Bethlehem PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a New Bethlehem PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with New Bethlehem PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near New Bethlehem PA?

Perhaps you live in the New Bethlehem 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.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton counties in the Lehigh Valley region of the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, and Scranton.[4] Of this, 55,639 were in Northampton County, and 19,343 were in Lehigh County.

Bethlehem lies in the center of the Lehigh Valley, a region of 731 sq mi (1,890 km2) that is home to more than 800,000 people. Together with Allentown and Easton, the Valley embraces the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area, including Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon counties within Pennsylvania, and Warren County in the adjacent state of New Jersey. Smaller than Allentown but larger than Easton, Bethlehem is the Lehigh Valley's second most populous city. In turn, this metropolitan area comprises Pennsylvania's third-largest metropolitan area and the state's largest and most populous contribution to the greater New York City metropolitan area.

There are four general sections of the city: central Bethlehem, the south side, the east side, and the west side. Each of these sections blossomed at different times in the city's development and each contains areas recognized under the National Register of Historic Places. ZIP codes that use the address Bethlehem totaled 116,000 in population in the year 2000. These ZIP codes include Bethlehem Township and Hanover Township.

Pick the Right Esthetics School near New Bethlehem PA

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in New Bethlehem PA.