How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools West Point PA

How to Select an Esthetician College near West Point Pennsylvania

West Point PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near West Point PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your West Point home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners West Point PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application 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 really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only West Point PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

West Point PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 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 probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other West Point PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in West Point PA Online esthetician classes are convenient for West Point PA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online 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 due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

West Point PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your West Point home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you select 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 19486 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many West Point PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with West Point PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose 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 vision is to start a West Point 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included 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 school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with West Point PA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering 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 verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near West Point PA?

Perhaps you live in the West Point 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.

West Point, New York

West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the American Revolution. Until January 1778, West Point was not occupied by the military. On January 27, 1778, Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons and his brigade crossed the ice on the Hudson River and climbed to the plain on West Point and from that day to the present, West Point has been occupied by the United States Army. It comprises approximately 16,000 acres (6,500 ha) including the campus of the United States Military Academy, which is commonly called "West Point".

It is a Census Designated Place (CDP) located in the Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York,[2][3] located on the western bank of the Hudson River. The population was 6,763 at the 2010 census. It is part of the New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ–PA Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark, NY–NJ–CT–PA Combined Statistical Area.

West Point (then Fort Clinton), was a fortified site during the Revolutionary War. Originally picked because of the abnormal S-curve in the Hudson River at this point, the defenses of West Point were designed by Polish military engineer Tadeusz Kościuszko, who served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army.

Pick the Right Esthetics Training Program near West Point PA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in West Point PA.