How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools South Bethlehem NY

How to Choose an Esthetics College near South Bethlehem New York

South Bethlehem NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near South Bethlehem NY, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Bethlehem home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners South Bethlehem NY Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only South Bethlehem NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer 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 go by many names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

South Bethlehem NY esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other South Bethlehem NY business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in South Bethlehem NY Online esthetician schools are advantageous for South Bethlehem NY students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed 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 brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

South Bethlehem NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your South Bethlehem residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 12161 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 South Bethlehem NY businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician institute 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 referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with South Bethlehem NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 imperative 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 launch a South Bethlehem NY beauty salon, 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 Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with South Bethlehem NY employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near South Bethlehem NY?

Perhaps you live in the South Bethlehem New York area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton counties in the Lehigh Valley region of the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, and Scranton.[4] Of this, 55,639 were in Northampton County, and 19,343 were in Lehigh County.

Bethlehem lies in the center of the Lehigh Valley, a region of 731 sq mi (1,890 km2) that is home to more than 800,000 people. Together with Allentown and Easton, the Valley embraces the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area, including Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon counties within Pennsylvania, and Warren County in the adjacent state of New Jersey. Smaller than Allentown but larger than Easton, Bethlehem is the Lehigh Valley's second most populous city. In turn, this metropolitan area comprises Pennsylvania's third-largest metropolitan area and the state's largest and most populous contribution to the greater New York City metropolitan area.

There are four general sections of the city: central Bethlehem, the south side, the east side, and the west side. Each of these sections blossomed at different times in the city's development and each contains areas recognized under the National Register of Historic Places. ZIP codes that use the address Bethlehem totaled 116,000 in population in the year 2000. These ZIP codes include Bethlehem Township and Hanover Township.

Find the Right Esthetician School near South Bethlehem NY

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. 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 utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in South Bethlehem NY.