How to Choose a Beauty School near Shippensburg Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Shippensburg PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear 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 kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Shippensburg home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding 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 kinds of courses are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many 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 form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Shippensburg PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two pathways available to receive 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 call for 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Shippensburg PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.
Online Beauty Courses
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Shippensburg 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 beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible 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 program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Shippensburg PA home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 17257 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Shippensburg PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetology school 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 references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Shippensburg PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Shippensburg PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Shippensburg PA businesses that are seeking qualified 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. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of beauty schools offer 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 belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Shippensburg PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Shippensburg PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Shippensburg is a borough in Cumberland and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Settled in 1730, Shippensburg lies in the Cumberland Valley, 41 miles (66 km) southwest of Harrisburg, and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,492 at the 2010 census.[5] Of this, 4,416 were in Cumberland County, and 1,076 were in Franklin County.
Shippensburg was incorporated as a borough on January 21, 1819. In the past, there were furniture factories, engine and pump works, and other industrial works located within the town. Shippensburg is the home of the Beistle Company, the oldest and largest manufacturer of decorations and party goods, which sells its distinctive honeycomb paper decorations worldwide. It is also the location of Pague and Fegan, the oldest continuously operated hardware store in Pennsylvania. In May 2012, Volvo Construction Equipment began a $100 million expansion project to bring its American headquarters to Shippensburg.[6]
Shippensburg is the oldest community of the Cumberland Valley, and the second oldest west of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania (after York to the east). In July 1730, 12 Scots-Irish families came to the site of the present-day Shippensburg and built cabin homes along Burd's Run. Shippensburg began as the western outpost of colonial settlement.
Find the Right Cosmetologist School near Shippensburg PA
Finding and enrolling in the right beauty school is essential to receive the appropriate 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 certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Shippensburg PA.
Other Beautiful Locations in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 2
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 