How to Enroll In a Cosmetology College near Light Street Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Light Street PA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Light Street home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses 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 described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Light Street PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two options available to receive 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 generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily 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 wish to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Light Street PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Light Street PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part 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 choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Light Street PA residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 17839 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Light Street PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Light Street PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 Light Street PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search 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 important that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Light Street PA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most beauty schools offer 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 may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Light Street PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Light Street PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Interstate 83
Interstate 83 (abbreviated I-83) is an Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its southern terminus is in Baltimore, Maryland at a signalized intersection with Fayette Street; its northern terminus is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at I-81.
The Jones Falls Expressway, known to local residents as the JFX, is a 10.2-mile-long (16.4 km) freeway that carries I-83 from downtown Baltimore to the northern suburbs. It is the area's true north–south artery, because I-95 runs mostly east–west through the city. Its southern terminus is at Fayette Street, and its northern terminus is at Maryland Route 25 (MD 25), just north of the Baltimore Beltway (I-695). Inside Baltimore, the road is maintained not by the Maryland State Highway Administration, which controls most freeways in the state, but by the city's Department of Transportation.
The freeway begins at an at-grade four-way intersection between the Jones Falls Expressway, Fayette Street, and President Street, located in close proximity to the Phoenix Shot Tower. President Street continues south along the eastern edge of the central business district (CBD) to terminate at a traffic circle in Harbor East. Fayette Street serves as an access route into the downtown area.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology College near Light Street PA
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist school is essential to get the necessary 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 collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Light Street PA.
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