How to Select a Cosmetologist College near Marion Center Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Marion Center PA, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary 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 refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Marion Center 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 ideal choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through 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 actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Marion Center PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range 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 a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are essentially two pathways offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Marion Center PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative 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 respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online cosmetology programs are advantageous for Marion Center PA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses 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 amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Marion Center PA residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 15759 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 Marion Center PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Marion Center PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. 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? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Marion Center PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that he or she gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Marion Center PA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Marion Center PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Marion Center PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Marion Center, Pennsylvania
The village was laid out by John Park in 1841 and named Marion after the Revolutionary War hero General Francis Marion. The Indiana Register first advertised lots for sale on September 1, 1841. Marion became incorporated as a borough in June 1869. The post office used a name distinct from the town (Brady Post Office) until December 26, 1890 when both were changed to Marion Center.
In 1885, New York banker Adrien Iselin purchased the Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburgh Railway. A branch near the Jefferson-Indiana County Line (Indiana Junction) led south into Indiana County ending at Vintondale. The tracks from Jefferson County into Indiana County were first laid near Juneau in October 1902. Trains ran through Marion Center by April 1903. The first passenger train stopped at Marion Center on May 3, 1904. The last train, the Hoodlbug, left on June 10, 1950.[3]
Marion Center had a vibrant community life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Two hotels were erected on Main Street in the 19th century. Hotel Marion, built in 1879 by Alexander Adams, had 15 rooms and was three stories tall. It burned in the 1920s. The second hotel, Mahoning House, at the corner of Main and Manor Streets, occupied the site of the former general store operated by McLaughlin, Kinter, and Company. Horatio Simons converted it to a hotel on June 1, 1904. It was torn down in the 1930s to make way for Harry Black's service station. A dentist office (operated by Dr. L. N. Park) and a pharmacy (operated by William Griffith) were located on Main Street near the store of H. P. Wetzel (located at Craig and Main Streets). By 1887, Wetzel had built a store measuring 20- by 40 feet (12 m). He later added an additional 40 feet (12 m) to the store. He was succeeded by Frank Wetzel who operated a grocery store on the site until the 1940s.[3]
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Marion Center PA
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Marion Center PA.
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