How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Pottstown PA

How to Select an Esthetician College near Pottstown Pennsylvania

Pottstown PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Pottstown PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat 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 discuss a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Pottstown home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Pottstown PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves 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 take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Pottstown 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, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional 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 mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as 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 Certificates and Degrees

Pottstown PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available 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 call for 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Pottstown PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, 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 reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Pottstown PA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Pottstown PA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Pottstown PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Pottstown home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with 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 available in 19464 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Pottstown PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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 demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Pottstown PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete 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, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Pottstown 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 provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Pottstown PA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Pottstown PA?

Perhaps you live in the Pottstown 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.

Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Pottstown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States about 40 miles (55 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Reading, on the Schuylkill River. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the incorporation as a borough in 1815. In 1888, the limits of the borough were considerably extended. Pottstown is the center of a productive farming and dairying region.

In the past, its iron and steel interests were very extensive. There were large rolling mills, furnaces, nail works, textile mills, bridge works, agricultural-implement works, boiler and machine shops, foundries, and manufactories of bricks, silks, shirts, hosiery, etc. In 1900, 13,696 people lived there; in 1910, 15,599; in 1920, 17,431; and in 1940, 20,194 people lived there. The population was 22,377 at the 2010 census.

Modern-day Pottstown is established on land originally deeded to William Penn.[3] Germans, Swedes and English were among the first European settlers in the area. After establishment of the first iron forge in 1714, Pottstown's fortunes became tied to the iron industry.

Choose the Right Esthetician Program near Pottstown PA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology 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 process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, 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 confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Pottstown PA.