How to Choose a Cosmetology College near Easton Pennsylvania
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Easton PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak 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 Easton home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Easton PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide variety 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 must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are primarily two options offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Easton 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. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Beauty Programs
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Easton PA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that 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 covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Easton PA home, as well as the price 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 narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 18040 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Easton 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 a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Easton PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 choose 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in Easton PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked 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 requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s crucial that she or he receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Easton PA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Easton PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Easton PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in and the county seat of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States.[3] The city's population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census.[4] Easton is located at the confluence of the Delaware River and the Lehigh River, roughly 55 miles (89 km) north of Philadelphia and 70 miles (110 km) west of New York City.
Easton is the easternmost city in the Lehigh Valley, a region of 731 square miles (1,893 km2) that is home to more than 800,000 people. Together with Allentown and Bethlehem, the Valley embraces the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metropolitan area, including Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon counties within Pennsylvania, and Warren County in the adjacent state of New Jersey. Easton is the smallest of the three Lehigh Valley cities, with approximately one-fourth of the population of the largest Lehigh Valley city, Allentown. In turn, this metropolitan area comprises Pennsylvania's third-largest metropolitan area and the state's largest and most populous contribution to the greater New York City metropolitan area.
The city is split up into four sections: Historic Downtown, which lies directly to the north of the Lehigh River, to the west of the Delaware River, continuing west to Sixth Street; The West Ward, which lies between Sixth and Fifteenth Streets; The South Side, which lies south of the Lehigh River; and College Hill, a neighborhood on the hills to the north of downtown, which is the home of Lafayette College, a liberal arts and engineering institution. The boroughs of Wilson, West Easton, and Glendon are also directly adjacent to the city; the first and largest of which, Wilson, partially aligns in the same North-South Grid as the city of Easton.
Pick the Right Beauty Training Program near Easton PA
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information 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 sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Easton PA.
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