How to Pick a Cosmetologist School near Duncansville Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Duncansville PA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Duncansville home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of 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 anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Duncansville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are essentially two avenues available to receive 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 generally call for 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Duncansville PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance 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 Cosmetologist Programs
Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Duncansville PA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Duncansville PA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 16635 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Duncansville PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent 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 placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Duncansville PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in Duncansville PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Duncansville PA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Duncansville PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Duncansville PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Duncansville, Pennsylvania
Duncansville is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Duncansville is one of the communities that comprises the Altoona Urban Area. The population was 1,233 at the 2010 census.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,238 people, 580 households, and 338 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,312.5 people per square mile (885.2/km²). There were 610 housing units at an average density of 1,139.4 per square mile (436.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.47% White, 0.48% African American, 0.08% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.
There were 580 households, out of which 19.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.84.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Duncansville PA
Finding and enrolling in the right beauty school is imperative to get 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. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Duncansville PA.
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