How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Glen Rock Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Glen Rock PA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Glen Rock home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look 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 form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Glen Rock PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two avenues offered to receive 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 usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Glen Rock PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetology Courses
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Glen Rock PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick 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 portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Glen Rock PA residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 17327 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Glen Rock PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers 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 along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Glen Rock PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Glen Rock PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Glen Rock PA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Glen Rock PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Glen Rock PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Glen Rock, Pennsylvania
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,809 people, 708 households, and 506 families residing in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough was 98.07% White, 1.00% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, and 0.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.
There were 708 households out of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the borough the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist College near Glen Rock PA
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once 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 Glen Rock PA.
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