How to Pick a Beauty School near Union Dale Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Union Dale PA, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Union Dale residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Union Dale PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Union Dale PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Union Dale PA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Union Dale PA residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 18470 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Union Dale PA businesses 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? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Union Dale 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 suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas 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 decide on a school that specializes in 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 vision is to start a hair salon in Union Dale PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Union Dale PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Union Dale PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Union Dale PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Union Dale, Pennsylvania
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2), of which, 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (2.4%) is water.
As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 267 people, 130 households, and 73 families residing in the borough. The population density was 111.2 people per square mile (43.4/km²). There were 157 housing units at an average density of 65.4 per square mile (25.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.5% White, 1.1% African American, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.
There were 130 households out of which 15.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.70.
Find the Right Beauty Program near Union Dale PA
Picking and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Union Dale PA.
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