How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools New Castle PA

How to Pick an Esthetics Program near New Castle Pennsylvania

New Castle 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 Castle PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear 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 speak a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your New Castle home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners New Castle PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive 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 can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only New Castle PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance 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

New Castle PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter 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 to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other New Castle 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 program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in New Castle PA Online esthetician schools are convenient for New Castle PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

New Castle PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your New Castle home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 16101 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 Castle PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with New Castle PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a New Castle 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with New Castle PA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? 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 department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near New Castle PA?

Perhaps you live in the New Castle 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 Castle, Pennsylvania

New Castle is a city in and the county seat of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania–Ohio border just 18 miles (29 km) east of Youngstown, Ohio. The population was 23,128 as of the 2010 census. It is the commercial center of a fertile agricultural region.[3]

New Castle is the principal city of the New Castle, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 91,108 in 2010. New Castle also anchors the northwestern part of the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-WV-OH Combined Statistical Area.

In 1798, John Carlysle Stewart, a civil engineer, traveled to western Pennsylvania to resurvey the "donation lands," which had been reserved for veterans of the Revolutionary War. He discovered that the original survey had neglected to stake out approximately 50 acres (20 ha) at the confluence of the Shenango River and the Neshannock Creek, at that time a part of Allegheny County. The Indian town of Kuskusky was listed on early maps in this location [4]. Claiming the land for himself, he laid out what was to become the town of New Castle. Stewart laid out the town of New Castle in April 1798. It comprised approximately that same 50 acres (20 ha), in what was then part of Allegheny County.[citation needed]

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near New Castle PA

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in New Castle PA.