How to Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Scranton Pennsylvania

Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Scranton PA, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies 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 titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Scranton residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may 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 take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Scranton PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

• Hairdressers
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working 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 pathways offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Scranton PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Beauty Training

Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Scranton PA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Training Courses

Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Scranton PA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 18501 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Scranton PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Scranton PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many 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 often 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 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 aspiration is to start a hair salon in Scranton PA, then you need 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 need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Scranton PA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak 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 each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Scranton PA?

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

Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Scranton PA

Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize 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 compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Scranton PA.

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