How to Enroll In a Cosmetology College near Curwensville Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Curwensville PA, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled 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 type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Curwensville home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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 kinds of courses are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Curwensville PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two options offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Curwensville PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas 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. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Curwensville 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 offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Curwensville PA residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you enroll in 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 16833 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Curwensville PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology college 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 testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Curwensville PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, check with 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 facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Curwensville PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that she or he gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Curwensville PA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments 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 Aid Offered? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Curwensville PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Curwensville PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Curwensville, Pennsylvania
Curwensville is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States, 45 miles (72 km) north of Altoona on the West Branch Susquehanna River. Coal mining, tanning, and the manufacture of fire bricks were the industries at the turn of the 20th century. In 1900, 1,937 people lived in the borough, and in 1910, 2,549 lived there. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the borough had a population of 2,542.[3] The population of the borough at its highest was 3,422 in 1940.
North American Refractories Company (NARCO) was a brick plant in Curwensville. The "Brick Yard" as most called it in the community made many different types of brick. Seneca, acid, and cardic brick were all manufactured in NARCO. They were also noted for hot gun models and specialty shapes.
The sandstone quarry owned by Russell Stone Products, Inc. in Curwensville, PA, is a valued asset. Although the site had remained dormant for a lengthy period of time in the 1900s, today it is a viable source that has extensively supplied material for many prominent projects nationwide.
Find the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Curwensville PA
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Curwensville PA.
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