How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Wernersville Pennsylvania
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Wernersville PA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference 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 bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Wernersville residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Wernersville 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, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed 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 the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Wernersville 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. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Beauty Training
Online beauty programs are advantageous for Wernersville PA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Wernersville PA home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 19565 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Wernersville PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating 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 businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Wernersville PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. 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 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 specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 vision is to launch a hair salon in Wernersville PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires 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 campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s essential that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Wernersville PA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Wernersville PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Wernersville PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Wernersville, Pennsylvania
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Wernersville was a noted resort community. City dwellers (especially from Philadelphia and New York City) traveled out to Wernersville (a stop on the Reading Railroad) to rest and partake of the cool mountain air of South Mountain. A number of large resort hotels were erected for this purpose including Galen Hall, Bynden Wood, Grand View and the Highland Hotel. Some were advertised as sanatoriums, specializing in rest cures for illnesses such as tuberculosis. The most famous of these was Dr. Robert Walter's Mountain Park (aka Walters Park). Most of these resort hotels have since disappeared due to fire, demolition, or have been transformed into buildings for institutional purposes. Some cottages once associated with the resorts are now private homes.
There is a Jesuit Center with a small Jesuit community here; Wernersville was once the location of the Jesuit novitiate center for the Society's Maryland Province, before the novitiates of the New York and Maryland provinces merged and it was relocated to Syracuse, New York.
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 2,150 people, 843 households and 558 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,690.3 people per square mile (1,037.6/km²). There were 870 housing units at an average density of 1,088.6 per square mile (419.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.77% White, 0.84% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.
Choose the Right Cosmetology College near Wernersville PA
Picking and enrolling in the right beauty program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Wernersville PA.
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