How to Select a Cosmetology School near Bellefonte Pennsylvania

Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Bellefonte PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning 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 Bellefonte home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations 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 thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Bellefonte PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish 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 have many titles 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 earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

There are primarily two avenues available to get 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 require 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Bellefonte 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 course you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Beauty Classes

Online beauty classes are advantageous for Bellefonte PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs

Below is a list 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 in relation to your Bellefonte PA residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, 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 can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 16823 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Bellefonte PA businesses 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?  Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Bellefonte PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 launch a hair salon in Bellefonte PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s important that he or she gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Bellefonte PA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most cosmetology 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 get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Bellefonte PA?

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

Select the Right Cosmetologist Program near Bellefonte PA

Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty college is essential to receive the appropriate 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. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent 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 ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Bellefonte PA.

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