How to Pick a Cosmetology School near Westfield Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Westfield PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Westfield home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Westfield PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired 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 house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are basically two avenues offered to receive 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 normally require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Westfield PA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved 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 review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Westfield PA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Westfield PA home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
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 certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 16950 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Westfield PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Westfield PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in Westfield PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Westfield PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask 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 broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check 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 qualify 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 meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Westfield PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Westfield PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Westfield, Pennsylvania
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,190 people, 495 households, and 330 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,148.8 people per square mile (441.8/km²). There were 551 housing units at an average density of 531.9 per square mile (204.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.56% White, 1.01% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population.
There were 495 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.2 males.
Select the Right Cosmetologist College near Westfield PA
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology school is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Westfield PA.
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