How to Select a Cosmetologist College near Granville Summit Pennsylvania
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Granville Summit PA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction 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 little bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Granville Summit home. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate 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 little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course 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 actually 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, most states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Granville Summit PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names 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 already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two options offered to get 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 normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Granville Summit PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Courses
Online beauty programs are advantageous for Granville Summit PA students who are employed 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 accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Granville Summit PA residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 16926 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Granville Summit PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Granville Summit PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance 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 ambition 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 vision is to start a hair salon in Granville Summit PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots 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 campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Granville Summit PA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might 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 all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Granville Summit PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Granville Summit PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Pennsylvania Route 514
Pennsylvania Route 514 (PA 514) is a 10.66-mile-long (17.16 km) state highway located in Bradford County in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 14 in Troy Township near the borough of Troy. The eastern terminus is at PA 414 in Franklin Township. PA 514 is a two-lane undivided road that runs through rural areas in southwestern Bradford County. The route was designated in 1928 to run between PA 14 in Troy east to Granville Center along an unpaved road; the route was paved two years later. PA 514 was extended east to PA 414 in 1934.
PA 514 begins at the intersection with PA 14 south of the borough of Troy, Pennsylvania in Troy Township. The route progresses to the southeast, quickly intersecting with Tennessee Gas Road, where the roadway begins its rural settings. Passing farmland after farmland, PA 514 passes several farms and through trees and enters the community of Granville Summit, where it intersects with Martin Road. In downtown Granville Summit, at the intersection with Cowley Road, the road makes a gradual curve but maintains its southeastern progression. After the curve, PA 514 gains the name Granville Road but remains rural as it continues. The highway makes a curve to the northeast after Spencer Hill Road intersects, where it enters Granville Township.[2]
PA 514 then enters Granville Center, a small hamlet, which stretches until the intersection with Baileys Corners Road (State Route 3019 or SR 3019). After Baileys Corners Road, PA 514 continues eastward until turning to the southeast once again, maintaining its rural surroundings. After the intersection with Sayles Road, the highway makes a gradual curve to the south, intersecting Allen Meadow Road (SR 3017). A short distance later, PA 514 enters the hamlet of West Franklin and intersects with PA 414, where the designation terminates.[2]
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Granville Summit PA
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect 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 reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Granville Summit PA.
Other Beautiful Locations in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
