Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Ottsville PA

How to Pick a Cosmetologist School near Ottsville Pennsylvania

nail technicians training at Ottsville PA beauty school Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Ottsville PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast 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 talk a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Ottsville home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about 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 types of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

Ottsville PA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be 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 take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Ottsville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names 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 already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain 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, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

Ottsville PA hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two pathways offered to get 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 typically take 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Ottsville PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties 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. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Beauty Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Ottsville PA Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Ottsville PA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools 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 online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Classes

Questions to ask Ottsville PA beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Ottsville PA residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 18942 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 Ottsville PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Ottsville PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? 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, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Ottsville PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes 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 predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s imperative that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Ottsville PA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Ottsville PA?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Ottsville PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Charles Darrow

Charles Brace Darrow (August 10, 1889 – August 28, 1967) was an American best known as the claimed inventor of the Monopoly board game (Elizabeth Magie was the original inventor of the game; Darrow's version was derivative). He became the first millionaire game designer in history.

Darrow was a domestic heater salesman from Germantown, a neighborhood in Philadelphia (the part of Germantown he lived in is now called Mount Airy) during the Great Depression. The house he lived in still stands at 40 Westview Street. While Darrow eventually sold his version of Monopoly to Parker Brothers, claiming it to be his own invention, modern historians credit Darrow as just one of the game's final developers.[1][2]

Monopoly is a board game which focuses on the acquisition of fictional real estate titles, with the incorporation of elements of chance. After losing his job at a sales company following the Stock Market Crash of 1929, Darrow worked at various odd jobs. Seeing his neighbors and acquaintances play a home-made board game in which the object was to buy and sell property, he decided to publish his own version of the game, with the help of his first son, William, and his wife Esther. Darrow marketed his version of the game under the name Monopoly.

Select the Right Cosmetologist College near Ottsville PA

Ottsville PA barber blow drying client's hair Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Ottsville PA.