How to Select a Beauty College near Factoryville Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Factoryville PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Factoryville home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at 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
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use 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 term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Factoryville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, 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 earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some 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, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist 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 work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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 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 parlor or other Factoryville PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Factoryville PA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. 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 Beauty Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Factoryville PA residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 18419 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Factoryville PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Factoryville PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific 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 specializes in 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 open a hair salon in Factoryville PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that she or he receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Factoryville PA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Factoryville PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Factoryville PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Factoryville, Pennsylvania
Factoryville is a borough in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,158 at the 2010 census. Factoryville is best known as the hometown of Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson.
As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 1,158 people, 341 households, and 211 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,654.3 people per square mile (638.7/km²). There were 365 housing units at an average density of 521.4 per square mile (203.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 92.5% White, 4.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4% of the population.
There were 341 households out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 15% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.06.
Pick the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Factoryville PA
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain 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 use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Factoryville PA.
Other Beautiful Locations in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
