Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Chester Heights PA

How to Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Chester Heights Pennsylvania

nail technicians training at Chester Heights PA beauty school Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Chester Heights PA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Chester Heights residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Chester Heights PA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything 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. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually 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 require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Chester Heights PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences 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 specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Chester Heights PA hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two pathways available to get cosmetology 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Chester Heights 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 program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Beauty Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Chester Heights PA Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Chester Heights PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Schools

Questions to ask Chester Heights PA beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Chester Heights PA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably 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 options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 19017 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Chester Heights PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting 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 Chester Heights PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 dream is to open a hair salon in Chester Heights PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Chester Heights PA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Chester Heights PA?

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

Chester Heights, Pennsylvania

The history of Chester Heights predates grants of William Penn, when the Swedes had penetrated some distance inland from the Delaware River and had found the rich soil very conducive to productive farming. To a remarkable extent, the area had continued to be so used until the last decade. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the borough was part of Aston Township, though this northernmost section of Aston did not have a village aspect as such. With the advent of a railroad, which made its first run-through on Christmas Day 1833, a concentration of houses developed. With the reach of the automobile, a settlement of homes sprang up along the oldest road in the borough. That route, now Valleybrook Road, was once known as the "Logtown Road" and was one of the earliest routes from Chester settlement to the interior. It wanders over and along the West Branch of Chester Creek and is noted for its abrupt curves at the borough's southern end.

An 1836 school building on Valleybrook Road and Llewellyn Road was, in its day, rented by its owners to Aston for $2 a month for use as the school for this area. It was subsequently known as the Logtown School and changed to the Chester Heights School in 1880. A second, much later stone school building stands in its place today. The borough was the Fourth Ward of Aston and had been referred to for some time as Chester Heights and Wawa. It was in the northern or "Wawa" area that, over the past one hundred years or more, several large land parcels were acquired for summer residences. To date, most of these tracts have remained relatively unchanged, though they are now used as year-round private residences. ("Wawa" was the Indian name for wild goose.)

In 1852 the cornerstone of St. Thomas the Apostle Church was laid, and it stands today with the addition of a parochial school and residences. In 1872 an association of Methodists purchased a farm in Aston, incorporating as the Chester Heights Camp-Meeting Associations, and it still convenes each July for religious retreats. The borough of Chester Heights was officially incorporated in 1945.

Find the Right Beauty Vocational School near Chester Heights PA

Chester Heights PA barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the right beauty program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Chester Heights PA.