How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Stahlstown PA

How to Choose an Esthetician College near Stahlstown Pennsylvania

Stahlstown PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Stahlstown PA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Stahlstown residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right 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 concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Stahlstown PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with 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 basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Stahlstown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, 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 already stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few 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, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Stahlstown PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily 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 typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Stahlstown PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Stahlstown PA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Stahlstown PA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Stahlstown PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Stahlstown home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 15687 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Stahlstown PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college 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. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Stahlstown PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, consult 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Stahlstown 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Stahlstown PA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating 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 verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Stahlstown PA?

Perhaps you live in the Stahlstown 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.

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Westmoreland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. At the 2010 census, the population was 365,169.[1] The county seat is Greensburg.[2] Formed from, successively, Lancaster, Northumberland, and later Bedford Counties, Westmoreland County was founded on February 26, 1773, and was the first county in the colony of Pennsylvania whose entire territorial boundary was located west of the Allegheny Mountains. Westmoreland County originally included the present-day counties of Fayette, Washington, Greene, and parts of Beaver, Allegheny, Indiana, and Armstrong counties. It is named after Westmorland, a historic county of England.

At the 2010 census,[9] there were 365,169 people, 153,650 households and 101,928 families residing in the county. The population density was 355.4 per square mile (137.2/km²). There were 168,199 housing units at an average density of 163.7 per square mile (63.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.3% White, 2.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 0.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 153,650 households of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.86.

Choose the Right Esthetician College near Stahlstown PA

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Stahlstown PA.