How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Dickson City PA

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Course near Dickson City Pennsylvania

Dickson City PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Dickson City PA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Dickson City home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Dickson City PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be 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 undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Dickson City PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel 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:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Dickson City PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to obtain esthetician 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 generally take 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 available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Dickson City PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Dickson City PA Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Dickson City PA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Dickson City PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Dickson City residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 18519 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Dickson City PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Dickson City PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest 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 Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 vision is to start a Dickson City PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Dickson City PA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify 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. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might 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 cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Dickson City PA?

Perhaps you live in the Dickson City 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.

Dickson City, Pennsylvania

Dickson City is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, 4 miles (6 km) north of Scranton. Coal mining had been an important industry in the past. Coal miners are much scarcer in Pennsylvania today than they had been, so populations have fallen in many places such as Dickson City; The population was 6,070 at the 2010 census.[3]

Dickson City was once known as Priceburg. It was the newest village in the valley and one of the most progressive. German immigrants then founded the village of Priceville in 1863, in honor of Eli Price. This section of the town developed rapidly after 1880, when John Jermyn sank the shaft which is now known as the Johnson shaft. Here the population had grown from 329 to 841.

In June 1875, Dickson City was incorporated as a borough, including at the time all of the present borough of Throop. Dickson City received its name from Thomas Dickson, founder of the Dickson Manufacturing Company.[4]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Program near Dickson City PA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Dickson City PA.