How to Choose a Cosmetology School near West Leisenring Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near West Leisenring PA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your West Leisenring home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are several other qualifications 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 considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only West Leisenring PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two options available to obtain 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 normally require 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other West Leisenring PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties 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. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for West Leisenring PA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your West Leisenring PA residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue 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. Following we have compiled 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 school you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 15489 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of West Leisenring PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with West Leisenring PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in West Leisenring 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s crucial that she or he gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with West Leisenring PA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near West Leisenring PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater West Leisenring PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Opossum Run Branch
The Opossum Run Branch was a former railroad line constructed by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1884. It ran from New Haven, PA to West Leisenring, PA. It ran through the mining towns of Trotter, Leisenring and Monarch. The line was abandoned in the early to mid 1900's. Remnants of the line can still be found to this day, most notably in West Leisenring, where a few railroad bridges and a row of coke ovens still remain.
Select the Right Cosmetology Training Program near West Leisenring PA
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in West Leisenring PA.
Other Beautiful Locations in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
6 Reviews 