How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Blairsville PA

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Training Program near Blairsville Pennsylvania

Blairsville PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Blairsville PA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Blairsville residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Blairsville PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Blairsville PA 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, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide variety 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 practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Blairsville PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain esthetician 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 typically call for 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Blairsville PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Blairsville PA Online esthetician programs are convenient for Blairsville PA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure 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 needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Blairsville PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Blairsville home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 15717 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Blairsville PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Blairsville PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand 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 goal 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 launch a Blairsville PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Blairsville PA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, 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 Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Blairsville PA?

Perhaps you live in the Blairsville Pennsylvania 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.

Blairsville, Pennsylvania

Blairsville was settled in 1818 and incorporated in 1825. In the past, railway shops, foundries, machine shops, enameling plants, and manufactories of plate glass and lumber employed the residents. It was the seat of Blairsville College, a Presbyterian institution opened in 1851, and currently houses a campus for Wyoming Technical Institute.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 3,607 people, 1,631 households, and 983 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,591.3 people per square mile (1,001.9/km²). There were 1,830 housing units at an average density of 1,314.7 per square mile (508.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.68% White, 2.99% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.06% of the population.

There were 1,631 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.90.

Find the Right Esthetics School near Blairsville PA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Blairsville PA.