How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist College near East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania

Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near East Stroudsburg PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference 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 little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your East Stroudsburg home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order 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 East Stroudsburg PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

There are basically two options offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other East Stroudsburg PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Cosmetology Schools

Online beauty schools are convenient for East Stroudsburg PA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools

Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your East Stroudsburg 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 probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 18301 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of East Stroudsburg 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?  Any beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references 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 services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with East Stroudsburg PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in East Stroudsburg PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with East Stroudsburg PA businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near East Stroudsburg PA?

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

Choose the Right Beauty School near East Stroudsburg PA

Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in East Stroudsburg PA.

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