How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Wernersville PA

How to Find the Right Esthetician Course near Wernersville Pennsylvania

Wernersville PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Wernersville PA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Wernersville home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Wernersville PA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful 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 word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Wernersville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, 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 are known by many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Wernersville PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to obtain 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 call for 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Wernersville 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. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Wernersville PA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Wernersville PA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. 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 Classes

Wernersville PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Wernersville residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 19565 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 Wernersville 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 an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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 regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Wernersville 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 suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 dream is to start a Wernersville PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Wernersville PA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide 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 qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Wernersville PA?

Perhaps you live in the Wernersville 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.

Wernersville, Pennsylvania

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Wernersville was a noted resort community. City dwellers (especially from Philadelphia and New York City) traveled out to Wernersville (a stop on the Reading Railroad) to rest and partake of the cool mountain air of South Mountain. A number of large resort hotels were erected for this purpose including Galen Hall, Bynden Wood, Grand View and the Highland Hotel. Some were advertised as sanatoriums, specializing in rest cures for illnesses such as tuberculosis. The most famous of these was Dr. Robert Walter's Mountain Park (aka Walters Park). Most of these resort hotels have since disappeared due to fire, demolition, or have been transformed into buildings for institutional purposes. Some cottages once associated with the resorts are now private homes.

There is a Jesuit Center with a small Jesuit community here; Wernersville was once the location of the Jesuit novitiate center for the Society's Maryland Province, before the novitiates of the New York and Maryland provinces merged and it was relocated to Syracuse, New York.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 2,150 people, 843 households and 558 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,690.3 people per square mile (1,037.6/km²). There were 870 housing units at an average density of 1,088.6 per square mile (419.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.77% White, 0.84% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.

Select the Right Esthetician School near Wernersville PA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. 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 ideal choice. And when 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 Wernersville PA.