How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist School near Jim Thorpe Pennsylvania

Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Jim Thorpe PA, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Jim Thorpe residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Jim Thorpe PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

There are essentially two avenues offered to get 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 call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered 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 Jim Thorpe 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 go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Cosmetologist Programs

Online beauty programs are convenient for Jim Thorpe PA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology 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 because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with 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 imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet 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.

What to Ask Beauty Training Programs

Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Jim Thorpe PA home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 18229 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Jim Thorpe PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Jim Thorpe PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, consult 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 beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 launch a hair salon in Jim Thorpe PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s crucial that she or he receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Jim Thorpe PA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Jim Thorpe PA?

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

Select the Right Beauty Vocational School near Jim Thorpe PA

Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on 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 college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Jim Thorpe PA.

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