Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools West Chester PA

How to Enroll In a Cosmetology College near West Chester Pennsylvania

nail technicians training at West Chester PA beauty school Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near West Chester PA, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your West Chester home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

West Chester PA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only West Chester PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

West Chester PA hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two options offered to obtain 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 ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other West Chester PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in West Chester PA Online beauty schools are advantageous for West Chester PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Schools

Questions to ask West Chester PA beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your West Chester PA residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 19380 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many West Chester PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with West Chester PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 launch a hair salon in West Chester PA, then you want 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 deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search 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 cosmetology school, it’s imperative that she or he receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with West Chester PA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools offer 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 find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near West Chester PA?

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

West Chester, Pennsylvania

The area was originally known as Turk's Head—after the inn of the same name located in what is now the center of the borough.[5] West Chester has been the seat of government in Chester County since 1786 when the seat was moved from nearby Chester in what is now Delaware County. The borough was incorporated in 1799.[6] In the heart of town is its courthouse, a classical revival building designed in the 1840s by Thomas U. Walter, one of the architects for the Capitol in Washington, D.C.[7] In the 18th century West Chester was a center of clockmaking. In the late 19th century the Hoopes, Bro. and Darlington company became a major wheelworks, first for wagons and later automobiles.[8][9] In the early 20th century, an important industry was the Sharples cream separator company.[10] In the late 20th century, Commodore International, one of the pioneers of home computers, giving its headquarters as West Chester, was located approximately a mile northeast of the borough.[citation needed]

The West Chester Downtown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Other listed buildings are the Bank of Chester County, Buckwalter Building, Butler House, Chester County Courthouse, William Everhart Buildings, Farmers and Mechanics Building, First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, New Century Clubhouse, Joseph Rothrock House, Sharples Homestead, Sharples Separator Works, Warner Theater, West Chester Boarding School for Boys, and the components of the West Chester State College Quadrangle Historic District.[11]

West Goshen Township borders West Chester to the north, south, and east, while East Bradford Township borders West Chester to the west. The borough straddles the Brandywine Creek and Chester Creek watersheds.[12] It is located 25 miles (40 km) west of Philadelphia and 17 miles (27 km) north of Wilmington, Delaware.

Find the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near West Chester PA

West Chester PA barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, 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 examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in West Chester PA.