How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Orefield PA

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Orefield Pennsylvania

Orefield PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Orefield PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Orefield residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding 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 courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Orefield PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many 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, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Orefield PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses 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 homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting 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 become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Orefield PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered 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 generally 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. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Orefield PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Orefield PA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Orefield PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required 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 provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Orefield PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Orefield home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 18069 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Orefield PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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 services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Orefield PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in 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 vision is to start a Orefield PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Orefield PA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out 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 Aid Available? Most 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 may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Orefield PA?

Perhaps you live in the Orefield 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.

Orefield, Pennsylvania

Orefield is a small unincorporated community in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States, split between North Whitehall and South Whitehall township. Located along Pennsylvania Route 309, Orefield has the zip code of 18069. Its name is derived from the extensive deposits of limonite (iron ore) once mined here. It was once the terminus of the Siegersville Branch of the Ironton Railroad, which was extended here to haul the ore.

Orefield is the former home to Parkland High School. It is a part of the Lehigh Valley and is only a few miles outside of Allentown. It is surrounded by many suburban housing developments, many of which were former farms operated by the Pennsylvania Dutch whose influence in the community is waning. There are many covered bridges nearby which cross the Jordan Creek.

Located near Orefield is a large factory for Alpo Dog Food, which has been owned by the Ralston Purina Company since the 1990s. Also located nearby are the Jaindl turkey farms, which provide the turkey for the White House on many Thanksgivings. Located in Orefield is Shankweiler's Drive-In, the second drive-in ever built (1934) and America's oldest operating drive-in theater.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics College near Orefield PA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Orefield PA.