How to Choose a Beauty College near Bartonsville Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Bartonsville PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bartonsville home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Bartonsville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are primarily two avenues available to obtain 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 generally 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Bartonsville PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Bartonsville 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 desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because 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 volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bartonsville PA residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 18321 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Bartonsville PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Bartonsville PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Bartonsville PA, then you need 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 provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Bartonsville PA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Bartonsville PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Bartonsville PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Bartonsville, Pennsylvania
Bartonsville was founded in 1831 by Colonel Joseph Benjamin Barton when he opened up a hotel and post office along the Easton-Belmont Turnpike stagecoach route. Barton settled along this profitable transportation route after running an ice cream parlor in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania for several years. After residing and giving his name to the community, Barton eventually pulled up stakes and travelled further north, eventually founding the borough of Waymart in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. The result of his move is that the only Barton buried in Custard's Cemetery (the principal and one of only two cemeteries in or near the community) is his daughter Lydia Barton, who remained in Bartonsville after his departure, but never married. The community could easily have been called Custardsville, since the Custard family settled in the area shortly after Barton, opening a sawmill on the Pocono Creek, and eventually establishing a Lutheran church (a daughter church of the Hamilton Union Church in Hamilton Square, Pennsylvania). The Custard family also gave land for a school and a cemetery. At the turn of the 20th century, Bartonsville was the typical, small Mid-Atlantic community, including two one-room school houses (due to the multiple townships in which it is located), a grist mill, a tannery and barkshed, a grand, rambling hotel (Barton's by then called the Forest Inn), a creamery, general store, post office and cobbler. The community also boasted a dance hall, brass band and a baseball team.
Today, Bartonsville has become an urbanized bedroom community. Passing through the Bartonsville area is Pennsylvania Route 611, which is lined with modern shopping centers and subdivisions, among them Barton Glen, Tara Hills, Pocono Laurel Lake, Fawn Acres, and Buck Valley. Largely a bedroom community today, retail and hospitality industries make up the lion's share of the village's economic activity. The village's ZIP code is 18321, which according to the US Census https://www.census.gov had a population of 1,753 in 2000.
Choose the Right Beauty School near Bartonsville PA
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. 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 proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Bartonsville PA.
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