How to Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Holbrook Pennsylvania
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Holbrook PA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Holbrook home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation 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 referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Holbrook PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two avenues available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Holbrook PA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.
Online Beauty Training
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Holbrook PA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive 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 verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Training Classes
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Holbrook PA residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with 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 available in 15341 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Holbrook PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Holbrook PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in Holbrook PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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 Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check 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 allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Holbrook PA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Holbrook PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Holbrook PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Clarence Holbrook Carter
Carter studied at the Cleveland School of Art from 1923 to 1927, and earned key patronage from William Millikin, the director of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Millikin arranged for Carter study in Italy with Hans Hofmann in Capri, Italy, for the summer of 1927.[1]
Throughout the 1930s and 40s he was known for his paintings of rural America and the burden brought on by the Great Depression. By the end of World War II he had adopted a more surrealist approach to painting. In 1949, he was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member, and became a full member in 1964.
Carter's work is found in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C.; the James A. Michener Art Museum; the Cleveland Museum of Art; the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.; the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA; the Yager Museum of Art & Culture, Oneonta, New York; and many others.
Select the Right Cosmetology College near Holbrook PA
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Holbrook PA.
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