How to Pick a Cosmetology School near Whitney Pennsylvania

Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Whitney PA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Whitney residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Whitney PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after 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 go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide variety 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 working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

There are essentially two avenues available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Whitney PA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Beauty Schools

Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Whitney PA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Training Programs

Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Whitney PA residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology training program you choose 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 15693 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Whitney PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Whitney PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out 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, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Whitney PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that he or she gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Whitney PA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out 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 Aid Offered?  Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Whitney PA?

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

Enroll in the Right Beauty Training Program near Whitney PA

Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Whitney PA.

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Loughner Massage & Lash Boutique

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