How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools New Brighton PA

How to Select an Esthetics Training Program near New Brighton Pennsylvania

New Brighton PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near New Brighton PA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your New Brighton residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as 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 bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners New Brighton PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 basically a cosmetic may 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 kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only New Brighton PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few 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, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

New Brighton PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other New Brighton PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in New Brighton PA Online esthetician schools are advantageous for New Brighton PA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with 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 essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in area 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 difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area 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.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

New Brighton PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your New Brighton home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school you select 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 15066 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many New Brighton PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might 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 field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with New Brighton PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a New Brighton PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find 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 essential that he or she gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with New Brighton PA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near New Brighton PA?

Perhaps you live in the New Brighton 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.

New Brighton, Pennsylvania

New Brighton is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Beaver River 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Pittsburgh. There are deposits of coal and clay in the vicinity. In the past, New Brighton had industries in included pottery, bricks, sewer pipe, glass, flour, twine, lead kegs, refrigerators, bath tubs, wall paper, steel castings, nails, rivets, and wire. The borough is served by the New Brighton Area School District.[7]

New Brighton is located near the center of Beaver County along the east bank of the Beaver River. It is bordered to the north by Daugherty Township, to the east by Pulaski Township, and to the southeast by Rochester Township. To the west, across the Beaver River, are (from north to south) Beaver Falls, Patterson Heights, Patterson Township, and Fallston.

Pennsylvania Routes 18 and 65 run through the center of the borough as Third Avenue. To the south, the concurrent highways run to Rochester on the Ohio River; to the north, PA-18 crosses the Beaver River into Beaver Falls, while PA-65 turns northeast and leads to Ellwood City.

Select the Right Esthetician Program near New Brighton PA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in New Brighton PA.