How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist School near Youngstown Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Youngstown PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Youngstown residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about 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 types of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Youngstown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in most states practicing 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. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Youngstown PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s important 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 reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.
Online Cosmetology Classes
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Youngstown PA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Youngstown PA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 15696 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Youngstown PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Youngstown PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose 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 complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Youngstown PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Youngstown PA businesses that are looking for trained 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, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Youngstown PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Youngstown PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Youngstown, Pennsylvania
The town was named after Alexander Young, whose first lot was recorded November 25, 1815, in the Recorder's office of Westmoreland County. There was a dispute to the name of the town over if it should be called Martinsburg or Youngstown. The name Youngstown was settled upon after it was found that a town of Martinsburg already existed in the Commonwealth. James Keenan's recorded plan of land on April 3, 1816 recorded the town as Youngstown Borough. As the community grew, and more people settled in the area, the citizens formed a political government. The residents petitioned the legislature in Harrisburg to form Youngstown Borough out of their lands. Governor George Wolf approved act No. 168 of 1830, on April 2, 1831. This act erected Youngstown, in the County of Westmoreland, into a Borough. Act No. 168 laid out the borough lines, and provided for elections of the burgess and other town officials, and stated the duties of the officials. As the town progressed, the residents felt themselves restricted by the Act of 1830 and petitioned Westmoreland County Court of Quarter Sessions to become subject to the Act of April 3, 1851. The Act of 1851 provided for more modern borough government than that permitted by the previous special act of legislature. The residents of the borough and their officers did not act quickly, since the petition to become subject to the Act of 1851 was not approved by Borough Council until July 25, 1905.
The opening of the Pennsylvania Government Land Office in the area in 1769, and the contract of the Pennsylvania Proprietaries with the Indians opened up the Loyalhannah Valley for settlement for pioneers, many of whom were of German and Scotch-Irish descent. Christopher Saxman in 1764, and Frederick Pershing in 1769 were the first recorded settlers in the area of present-day Youngstown. As a community and village grew, it was often called Martinsburg, after Martin West, another nearby land owner. Located along the Forbes road, a military road built under the command of Brigadier General John Forbes in 1758, the town became an important rest stop along the east-west route that eventually stretched from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. In 1794, Federal troops passed through and quartered at the town's Barrett Hotel on the way to quell the Whiskey Insurrection.
Until 1796, Youngstown, often referred to as Martinsburg, had been randomly settled, with various people making claims to the land. The first recorded transaction of land came on March 31, 1796, when Robert Dickey received a warrant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a 250-acre (1.0 km2) tract of land known as "Hermitage". John Moore, a surveyor, pursuant to the warrant, issued a survey showing 251 acres (1.02 km2) of land. Robert Dickey conveyed Hermitage to Joseph Baldridge by deed dated February 18, 1797. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, through the offices of Governor Thomas Mifflin, issued a patent to Joseph Buldridge for the tract of land known as Hermitage on April 1, 1797.
Find the Right Beauty School near Youngstown PA
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Youngstown PA.
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