Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Bethlehem PA

How to Enroll In a Beauty School near Bethlehem Pennsylvania

nail technicians training at Bethlehem PA beauty school Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Bethlehem PA, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. 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 speak a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bethlehem residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Bethlehem PA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Bethlehem PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing 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 become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

Bethlehem PA hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two options available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Bethlehem PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Cosmetology Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Bethlehem PA Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Bethlehem PA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as brief 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 volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Degree Programs

Questions to ask Bethlehem PA beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Bethlehem PA residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 18015 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Bethlehem PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references 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 demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Bethlehem PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted 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 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 enroll in a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Bethlehem 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses 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 furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Bethlehem PA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Bethlehem PA?

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

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton counties in the Lehigh Valley region of the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, and Scranton.[4] Of this, 55,639 were in Northampton County, and 19,343 were in Lehigh County.

Bethlehem lies in the center of the Lehigh Valley, a region of 731 sq mi (1,890 km2) that is home to more than 800,000 people. Together with Allentown and Easton, the Valley embraces the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area, including Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon counties within Pennsylvania, and Warren County in the adjacent state of New Jersey. Smaller than Allentown but larger than Easton, Bethlehem is the Lehigh Valley's second most populous city. In turn, this metropolitan area comprises Pennsylvania's third-largest metropolitan area and the state's largest and most populous contribution to the greater New York City metropolitan area.

There are four general sections of the city: central Bethlehem, the south side, the east side, and the west side. Each of these sections blossomed at different times in the city's development and each contains areas recognized under the National Register of Historic Places. ZIP codes that use the address Bethlehem totaled 116,000 in population in the year 2000. These ZIP codes include Bethlehem Township and Hanover Township.

Choose the Right Cosmetology College near Bethlehem PA

Bethlehem PA barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Bethlehem PA.