How to Find the Right Beauty College near Enon Valley Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Enon Valley PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Enon Valley home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost 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 form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Enon Valley PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 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, which include 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) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Enon Valley 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 program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Beauty Classes
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Enon Valley PA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Enon Valley PA residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 16120 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Enon Valley PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Enon Valley PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. 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? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Enon Valley PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that she or he receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Enon Valley PA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask 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 Offered? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 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 available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Enon Valley PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Enon Valley PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Enon Valley, Pennsylvania
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 387 people, 138 households, and 105 families residing in the borough. The population density was 746.5 people per square mile (287.3/km²). There were 149 housing units at an average density of 287.4 per square mile (110.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.71% White, 0.52% African American, 0.52% Asian, and 0.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.78% of the population.
There were 138 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
Pick the Right Beauty Training Program near Enon Valley PA
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Enon Valley PA.
Other Beautiful Locations in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
12 Reviews 