How to Select a Cosmetology School near Reamstown Pennsylvania
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Reamstown PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference 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 speak a little bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Reamstown home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within 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 body look more beautiful with the use 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 basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Reamstown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are basically two options available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Reamstown PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Reamstown PA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary 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 field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Reamstown PA home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 17567 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Reamstown PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Reamstown PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Reamstown PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that he or she gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Reamstown PA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Reamstown PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Reamstown PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Reamstown, Pennsylvania
Reamstown is located at 40°12′43″N 76°7′3″W / 40.21194°N 76.11750°W / 40.21194; -76.11750 (40.212046, -76.117587).[1] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 50 square miles (130 km2), all of it land.
The town was named after Eberhard Ream (Johann Eberhardt Riehm 1687–1779), whose son, Tobias Ream, founded it in the 1740s. It was originally known as "Zohar" according to a local highway marker. During the Revolution, Reamstown served as one of a number of field hospitals for the wounded following the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. A dozen or more of these troops died here and are buried in unmarked graves in the Salem Evangelical Cemetery. The cemetery is also home to a large boulder that once served as a mortar and pestle by the Indians who lived on nearby Ephrata Mountain. It was transported to Reamstown by Pierce Lesher and today a plaque on the stone details both the Native American and military history.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 3,498 people, 1,161 households, and 897 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,542.0 people per square mile (595.0/km²). There were 1,194 housing units at an average density of 526.3/sq mi (203.1/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.23% White, 0.31% African American, 0.26% Native American, 2.23% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.92% of the population.
Pick the Right Beauty College near Reamstown PA
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided 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 confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Reamstown PA.
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