Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Levittown PA

How to Choose a Cosmetologist College near Levittown Pennsylvania

nail technicians training at Levittown PA beauty school Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Levittown PA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather 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 type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Levittown home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Levittown PA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Levittown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

Levittown PA hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two avenues offered to obtain 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 usually call for 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Levittown PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Cosmetology Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Levittown PA Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Levittown PA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools

Questions to ask Levittown PA beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Levittown PA home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 19054 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Levittown PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Levittown PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? 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 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 dream is to start a hair salon in Levittown PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that he or she receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Levittown PA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Levittown PA?

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

Levittown, Pennsylvania

Levittown is a census-designated place (CDP) and planned community in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The population was 52,983 at the 2010 census.[2] It is 40 feet (12 m) above sea level. Though not a municipality, it is sometimes recognized as the largest suburb of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania[3] (while Upper Darby Township, Lower Merion Township, Bensalem Township, Abington Township and Bristol Township are municipalities larger in size in the three surrounding Pennsylvania counties). Starting with land purchased in 1951, it was planned and built by Levitt & Sons. The brothers Bill Levitt and architect Alfred Levitt designed its six typical houses.

The majority of the land on which it is built was purchased in 1951. Levitt and Sons only built six models of houses in Levittown, all single-family dwellings with lawns: the Levittowner, the Rancher, the Jubilee, the Pennsylvanian, the Colonial and the Country Clubber, with only modest exterior variations within each model. The homes were moderately priced and required only a low down payment. Construction of Levittown began in February 1952, soon after completion of Levittown, New York, located on Long Island. Levittown, Pennsylvania was the second "Levittown" built by William J. Levitt, who is often credited as the creator of the modern American suburb. To speed up construction, Levitt & Sons perfected a 26-step rationalized building method that was essentially an assembly line type of home building. The house remained stationary, while the construction workers moved from house to house. Each worker had one task such as pouring slabs, framing, installing electric sockets or installing washing machines. This highly regimented process enabled Levitt's workers to produce a finished house every 16 minutes. Construction of the homes commenced in 1952 and when completed in 1958, 17,311 homes were built.

What set Levittown apart from other developments at the time was that it was built as a complete community. Levitt & Sons designed neighborhoods with traffic-calming curvilinear roads, in which there were no four-way intersections. Each neighborhood had within its boundaries a site donated by Levitt & Sons for a public elementary school. Locations for churches and other public facilities were set aside on main thoroughfares such as the Levittown Parkway, likewise donated by the builder to religious groups and other organizations. Other amenities included Olympic-sized public pools, parks, "greenbelts", baseball fields and playgrounds, and a shopping center located in neighboring Tullytown borough that was considered large and modern at the time of its construction (and in fact was the largest east of the Mississippi). The first set of four sample homes were put on display in a swatch of land near the future Levittown Shop-a-Rama, and an estimated 30,000 people viewed them in that first weekend.[4]

Enroll in the Right Beauty Vocational School near Levittown PA

Levittown PA barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the right beauty school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Levittown PA.