How to Select a Cosmetology School near Youngwood Pennsylvania
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Youngwood PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Youngwood residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as 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 little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course 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 actually a cosmetic may be almost 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 undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Youngwood PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. 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 get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Youngwood PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online beauty schools are advantageous for Youngwood PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically 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 courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Youngwood PA residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program 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 recognized 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 15697 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Youngwood PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Youngwood PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed 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 areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 aspiration is to start a hair salon in Youngwood PA, then you need 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 seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of 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? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Youngwood PA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask 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 wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Youngwood PA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Youngwood PA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Youngwood, Pennsylvania
The community was established in 1899 and was built on land owned by John Y. Woods, a farmer. In creating the name Youngwood, John Y. Woods took his own family name and combined it with his maternal grandfather's name, which was Young.[3]
Youngwood owes its existence to the Southwest Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which ran from Greensburg south to Uniontown and Fairchance. In 1900, a large classification yard was built for sorting railroad cars, and this railroad yard provided Youngwood's economic base for many decades.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.8 km²), of which, 1.8 square miles (4.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.08%) is water.
Find the Right Cosmetologist Program near Youngwood PA
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Youngwood PA.
Other Beautiful Locations in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
78 Reviews 