Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Gladwyne PA

How to Find the Right Cosmetology School near Gladwyne Pennsylvania

nail technicians training at Gladwyne PA beauty school Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Gladwyne PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Gladwyne home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about 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

Gladwyne PA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Gladwyne PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some 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, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

Gladwyne PA hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two avenues available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Gladwyne 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. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Beauty Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Gladwyne PA Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Gladwyne PA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. 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 Training Programs

Questions to ask Gladwyne PA beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Gladwyne PA residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 19035 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Gladwyne 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 Good Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Gladwyne PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Gladwyne PA, then you want 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 seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s crucial that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Gladwyne PA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Gladwyne PA?

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

Gladwyne, Pennsylvania

Gladwyne is a very affluent suburban community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States along the historic Philadelphia Main Line. In 2018, Gladwyne was ranked the 6th richest ZIP code (using 2015 IRS data) in the country in a study by Bloomberg BusinessWeek.[1] The population was 4,071 at the 2010 US census. As Gladwyne is neither an incorporated area nor a census-designated place, all data are for the ZIP code 19035, with which the community is coterminous.

There are four churches, a synagogue, a library, two schools, the Gladwyne fire company, the Gladwyne Civic Association, the Stony Lane Swim Club, playgrounds, parks, businesses, and retail shops within the confines of Gladwyne. The historic Guard House Inn is also located within Gladwyne. The village is also home to the Philadelphia Country Club on its periphery, Merion Cricket Club, and to The Courts, a private tennis club. Because the town was early to preserve space and has received many donations of land, developers have not subdivided the area into more typical suburban developments, so the area retains a mixture of farm, colonial town, and late 19th/early 20th housing uncharacteristic of other Main Line communities.

Banker James Crosby Brown of Brown Brothers & Co. built a 185-acre (0.75 km2) estate that later was divided into non-divisible (deed-restricted) lots of three to 17 acres (6.9 ha), an early act of (partial) preservation that set an important precedent for future acts by both individuals and the township.[2] The Lower Merion Conservancy plays a significant role in protecting the local heritage and maintains its office in Gladwyne's Rolling Hill Park.[3]

Pick the Right Beauty Vocational School near Gladwyne PA

Gladwyne PA barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Gladwyne PA.