How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Valley View PA

How to Select an Esthetician School near Valley View Pennsylvania

Valley View PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Valley View PA, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might 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 speak a bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Valley View home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding 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 courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Valley View PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most 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, almost all states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Valley View PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional 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 earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Valley View PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered 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 normally 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Valley View PA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Valley View PA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Valley View PA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed 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 provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Valley View PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Valley View home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you pick 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 17983 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Valley View PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. 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, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Valley View PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Valley View PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Valley View PA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? 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 department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Valley View PA?

Perhaps you live in the Valley View 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 View, Pennsylvania

Choose the Right Esthetics Program near Valley View PA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast 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 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 reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Valley View PA.