Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Allentown PA

How to Pick a Cosmetologist School near Allentown Pennsylvania

nail technicians training at Allentown PA beauty school Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Allentown PA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Allentown home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Allentown PA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous 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 anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Allentown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

Allentown PA hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two options offered to receive cosmetology 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 call for 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Allentown PA business. More advanced 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 essential 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 highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Beauty Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Allentown PA Online beauty programs are accommodating for Allentown PA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Schools

Questions to ask Allentown PA beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Allentown PA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 18101 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Allentown PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Allentown PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult 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 cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 desire is to open a hair salon in Allentown PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s important that he or she gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Allentown PA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Allentown PA?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Allentown PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Allentown (Pennsylvania Dutch: Allenschteddel) is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city and the 231st largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently the fastest growing city in all of Pennsylvania.[9] It is the largest city in the metropolitan area known as the Lehigh Valley, which had a population of 821,623 residents as of 2010[update]. Allentown constitutes a portion of the New York City Combined Statistical Area and is the county seat of Lehigh County.[10] In 2012, the city celebrated the 250th anniversary of its founding in 1762.[11]

Located on the Lehigh River, Allentown is the largest of three adjacent cities, in Northampton and Lehigh counties, that make up a region of eastern Pennsylvania known as the Lehigh Valley, the other two cities being Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Easton, Pennsylvania.[12] Allentown is 50 miles (80 km) north-northwest of Philadelphia, the sixth most populous[13] city in the United States, 90 miles (140 km) east-northeast of Harrisburg, the state capital, and 90 miles (140 km) west of New York City, the nation's largest city.

The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the main line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad using former Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad main line trackage), runs through Allentown heading east across the Delaware River. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Reading Line runs through Allentown heading west to Reading, Pennsylvania.

Select the Right Cosmetologist College near Allentown PA

Allentown PA barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. 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 selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Allentown PA.