How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools University Park PA

How to Pick an Esthetician School near University Park Pennsylvania

University Park PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near University Park PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your University Park residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about 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 kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners University Park PA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only University Park 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, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many 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 previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

University Park PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 want to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other University Park PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in University Park PA Online esthetician programs are convenient for University Park PA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

University Park PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your University Park residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 16802 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous University Park 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? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with University Park PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 vision is to start a University Park PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for other 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 assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with University Park PA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near University Park PA?

Perhaps you live in the University Park 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.

University Park, Pennsylvania

University Park is the name given to the Pennsylvania State University's largest campus, and University Park, Pennsylvania is the postal address used by Penn State. The University Park campus is located in State College and adjacent College Township, Pennsylvania. The campus post office was designated "University Park, Pennsylvania" in 1953 by Penn State president Milton Eisenhower, after what was then Pennsylvania State College was upgraded to university status.

The school that later became Penn State University was founded as a degree-granting institution on February 22, 1855, by act P.L. 46, No. 50 of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania. Centre County, Pennsylvania, became the home of the new school when James Irvin of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, donated 200 acres (80.9 ha) of land – the first of 10,101 acres (4,088 ha) the school would eventually acquire. In 1862, the school's name was changed to the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania, and with the passage of the Morrill Land-Grant Acts, Pennsylvania selected the school in 1863 to be the state's sole land-grant college. The school's name changed to the Pennsylvania State College in 1874; enrollment fell to 64 undergraduates the following year as the school tried to balance purely agricultural studies with a more classic education.

In 1953, the university sought a name change for the town called State College to reflect the new status of the school as a university. As the name change referendum failed to pass, the resolution ended with a new postal address to be called "University Park".

Select the Right Esthetician Program near University Park PA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in University Park PA.