How to Pick a Cosmetology School near Tower City Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Tower City PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Tower City residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Tower City PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide variety 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 have to be licensed. In some 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, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance 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 Tower City PA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology programs are advantageous for Tower City PA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Tower City PA home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 17980 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Tower City PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Tower City PA salon owners or managers, or someone 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. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Tower City PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Tower City PA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Tower City PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Tower City PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Tower City, Pennsylvania
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,396 people, 608 households, and 383 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,546.8 people per square mile (1,738.7/km²). There were 684 housing units at an average density of 2,227.8 per square mile (851.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.85% White, 0.21% African American, 0.50% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.86% of the population.
There were 608 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.
Choose the Right Beauty Training Program near Tower City PA
Locating and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is important to get the necessary 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. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Tower City PA.
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