How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Valley Forge PA

How to Choose an Esthetician Course near Valley Forge Pennsylvania

Valley Forge PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Valley Forge PA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled 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 more about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Valley Forge home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Valley Forge PA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Valley Forge PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few 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, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Valley Forge PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Valley Forge PA business. More advanced 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 imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Valley Forge PA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Valley Forge PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Valley Forge PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Valley Forge residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 19481 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Valley Forge PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably 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 excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Valley Forge PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand 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 certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Valley Forge PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Valley Forge PA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Valley Forge PA?

Perhaps you live in the Valley Forge 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.

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

The Village of Valley Forge is an unincorporated settlement located on the west side of Valley Forge National Historical Park at the confluence of Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania, United States. The remaining village is in Schuylkill Township of Chester County, but once spanned Valley Creek into Montgomery County. The name Valley Forge is often used to refer to anywhere in the general vicinity of the park, and many places actually in King of Prussia, Trooper, Oaks, and other nearby communities will use the name, leading to some ambiguity on the actual location of the modern village.

Valley Forge is known by travelers in the Philadelphia area as the westbound control city on Interstate 76 (the Schuylkill Expressway), as it is near where I-76 joins the Pennsylvania Turnpike. This remains, despite no exit being designated for Valley Forge, since the previous exit became the off-ramp to Mall Blvd., serving King of Prussia.

Pick the Right Esthetics College near Valley Forge PA

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Valley Forge PA.