How to Pick a Beauty College near Slatedale Pennsylvania
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Slatedale PA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Slatedale home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful 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 really 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 mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Slatedale PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two pathways offered to receive 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 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. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Slatedale PA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Training
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Slatedale PA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Slatedale PA residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology school you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 18079 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Slatedale PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Slatedale PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Slatedale PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Slatedale PA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 offered to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Slatedale PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Slatedale PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Washington Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 23.8 square miles (61.6 km2), of which, 23.7 square miles (61.3 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2) of it (0.46%) is water. It is drained by the Lehigh River, which separates it from Northampton County, and Blue Mountain separates it from Carbon County.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 6,588 people, 2,512 households, and 1,929 families residing in the township. The population density was 278.4 people per square mile (107.5/km2). There were 2,594 housing units at an average density of 109.6/sq mi (42.3/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 98.71% White, 0.21% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.
There were 2,512 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.2% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 2.97.
Find the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Slatedale PA
Picking and enrolling in the right beauty school is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Slatedale PA.
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