How to Choose a Beauty College near New Berlin Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near New Berlin PA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your New Berlin residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only New Berlin PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go 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 formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing 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 become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two options offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 offered if you want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other New Berlin PA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.
Online Beauty Training
Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for New Berlin PA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online 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. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses
Following is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your New Berlin PA residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 17855 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous New Berlin PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm 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 New Berlin PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, 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 cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a hair salon in New Berlin PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with New Berlin PA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near New Berlin PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater New Berlin PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
New Berlin, Pennsylvania
The Borough of New Berlin is located in central Pennsylvania on the southern edge of Union County. It sits along the north side of Penns Creek, where the south bank of said creek is the dividing line between Union and Snyder County. New Berlin is a small Borough with a population of 838 (2000 census). Union County was erected from Northumberland County March 22, 1813, and nearby Mifflinburg was the first county seat (first courthouse at 406 Green Street, with other government offices in various other buildings). New Berlin became the second seat of county government when the first Courthouse built specifically for that purpose was completed in 1815. The present day county seat was moved to Lewisburg in 1855. The Old Union County Courthouse still stands on the Town Square and houses the New Berlin Post Office and the Courthouse Museum.
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 838 people, 333 households, and 243 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,882.4 people per square mile (719.0/km²). There were 355 housing units at an average density of 797.4 per square mile (304.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.45% White, 0.24% African American, 0.60% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population. Ancestries: German (41.2%), United States (11.1%), English (6.1%), Irish (5.6%), Italian (4.1%), French (3.0%).
There were 333 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.98.
Pick the Right Beauty School near New Berlin PA
Locating and enrolling in the right beauty school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in New Berlin PA.
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