How to Pick a Beauty College near Millerstown Pennsylvania
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Millerstown PA, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference 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 discuss a little bit further regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Millerstown home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Millerstown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues 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 clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two options 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 typically 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Millerstown PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online beauty schools are accommodating for Millerstown PA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop 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 short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Millerstown PA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you select 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 17062 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Millerstown PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Millerstown PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden 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 vision is to open a hair salon in Millerstown 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that he or she gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Millerstown PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments 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 Aid Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Millerstown PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Millerstown PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Millerstown, Pennsylvania
Millerstown is a borough in northern Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States located (via road) 29 miles (47 km) northwest of Harrisburg and 29 miles (47 km) southwest of Selinsgrove. The population was 673 at the 2010 Census.[3] The borough is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.
This plot of ground was later sold to David Miller on September 1, 1780, who filed for a patent in 1790 for the "laying out of the town," thus making Miller's Town the first town to be plotted for sale in the territory at that time comprising Perry County. Miller's Town was later combined to form Millerstown.
Millerstown Borough was incorporated February 12, 1849, and the first meeting of the newly formed town council was held on April 14, 1849. Abraham Addams was the first chief burgess (mayor), and John M. Cauffman, Christian Beck, James R. Gilmer, and Jacob Emerick, were members of the first Borough Council. Thomas P. Cochran was the first council clerk with a salary of $2.50 a year.
Pick the Right Cosmetologist College near Millerstown PA
Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty program is imperative to receive the necessary 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. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Millerstown PA.
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