How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Schwenksville PA

How to Choose an Esthetics Course near Schwenksville Pennsylvania

Schwenksville PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Schwenksville PA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Schwenksville home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Schwenksville PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Schwenksville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Schwenksville PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to receive 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 available if you want to specialize in 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 manage a parlor or other Schwenksville PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, 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 essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Schwenksville PA Online esthetician classes are convenient for Schwenksville PA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Schwenksville PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Schwenksville home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 19473 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 Schwenksville PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent 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 relationships with Schwenksville PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Schwenksville 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Schwenksville PA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive 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 reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Schwenksville PA?

Perhaps you live in the Schwenksville 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.

Schwenksville, Pennsylvania

Schwenksville is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,385 at the 2010 census. It is notable for being located near the site of the Philadelphia Folk Festival. The borough was founded in 1684, when the Lenni-Lenape Indians ceded to William Penn the land along the Perkiomen Creek; it was incorporated in 1903. The borough was named for George Schwenk, whose son, Jacob Schwenk, served in George Washington's army.

Schwenksville is also the gateway to the Perkiomen Trail, a nineteen-mile section of the former Reading Railroad's Perkiomen Valley corridor. It now serves as a multi-use rail trail and was completed in 2003.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Schwenksville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[5]

Select the Right Esthetics Training Program near Schwenksville PA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Schwenksville PA.