How to Select a Cosmetologist College near Elizabethtown Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Elizabethtown PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Elizabethtown residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Elizabethtown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering 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 get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after 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 finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Elizabethtown PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online beauty schools are advantageous for Elizabethtown PA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given 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 online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Elizabethtown PA residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably 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 narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary 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 comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 17022 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Elizabethtown PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm 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 organizations. If you have any relationships with Elizabethtown PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 Elizabethtown PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Elizabethtown PA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Elizabethtown PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Elizabethtown PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Elizabethtown (Pennsylvania Dutch: Betzischteddel) is a borough in Lancaster County, 21 miles (34 km) southeast of Harrisburg. Small factories existed at the turn of the 20th century when the population in 1900 was 1,861. There was a slight increase in the next decade, with 1,970 people living in Elizabethtown in 1910. As of the 2000 census, the population of the borough was 11,887.[3] Elizabethtown is commonly referred to in south-central Pennsylvania as "E-Town."[4] This nickname is also used for the local college and high school.
There are two stories about the origin of the town's name. In one version it is named after Elizabeth Reeby, wife of Michael Reeby who sold the first building lots here in about 1795. Another version has it named after the wife of Captain Barnabas Hughes who purchased The Black Bear Tavern in 1750.
The officially accepted history is that, in 1753, Captain Barnabas Hughes acquired land and laid out a town, naming it for his wife, Elizabeth. The early settlers were primarily Scots-Irish and Pennsylvania Dutch.
Pick the Right Cosmetology Program near Elizabethtown PA
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Elizabethtown PA.
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