How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Unionville PA

How to Find the Right Esthetician School near Unionville Pennsylvania

Unionville PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Unionville PA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Unionville home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Unionville PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really 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, most states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Unionville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go 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 mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Unionville PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Unionville PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Unionville PA Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Unionville PA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Unionville PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Unionville home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 19375 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Unionville PA employers will not recruit 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 school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Unionville PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, 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. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 aspiration is to launch a Unionville PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Unionville PA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Unionville PA?

Perhaps you live in the Unionville 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.

Unionville, Pennsylvania

Choose the Right Esthetics School near Unionville PA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. 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 responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, 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 examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Unionville PA.