How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist College near Lock Haven Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Lock Haven PA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lock Haven residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lock Haven PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names 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 formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two options offered to receive 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 usually take 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered 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 Lock Haven PA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Classes
Online beauty programs are accommodating for Lock Haven PA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lock Haven PA home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 17745 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Lock Haven PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lock Haven PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Lock Haven PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Lock Haven PA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm 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 looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lock Haven PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Lock Haven PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
The city of Lock Haven is the county seat of Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven Micropolitan Statistical Area, itself part of the Williamsport–Lock Haven combined statistical area. At the 2010 census, Lock Haven's population was 9,772.
Built on a site long favored by pre-Columbian peoples, Lock Haven began in 1833 as a timber town and a haven for loggers, boatmen, and other travelers on the river or the West Branch Canal. Resource extraction and efficient transportation financed much of the city's growth through the end of the 19th century. In the 20th century, a light-aircraft factory, a college, and a paper mill, along with many smaller enterprises, drove the economy. Frequent floods, especially in 1972, damaged local industry and led to a high rate of unemployment in the 1980s.
The city has three sites on the National Register of Historic Places—Memorial Park Site, a significant pre-Columbian archaeological find; Heisey House, a Victorian-era museum; and Water Street District, an area with a mix of 19th- and 20th-century architecture. A levee, completed in 1995, protects the city from further flooding. While industry remains important to the city, about a third of Lock Haven's workforce is employed in education, health care, or social services.
Pick the Right Cosmetologist Program near Lock Haven PA
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make 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 information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Lock Haven PA.
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