How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Elizabethtown PA

How to Choose an Esthetician College near Elizabethtown Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Elizabethtown PA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Elizabethtown home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Elizabethtown PA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course 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 really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Elizabethtown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Elizabethtown PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to receive 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. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Elizabethtown PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Elizabethtown PA Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Elizabethtown PA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Elizabethtown 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 previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Elizabethtown home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 17022 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Elizabethtown PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Elizabethtown PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 Elizabethtown PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that she or he receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Elizabethtown PA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult 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 too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Elizabethtown PA?

Perhaps you live in the Elizabethtown 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.

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown (Pennsylvania Dutch: Betzischteddel) is a borough in Lancaster County, 21 miles (34 km) southeast of Harrisburg. Small factories existed at the turn of the 20th century when the population in 1900 was 1,861. There was a slight increase in the next decade, with 1,970 people living in Elizabethtown in 1910. As of the 2000 census, the population of the borough was 11,887.[3] Elizabethtown is commonly referred to in south-central Pennsylvania as "E-Town."[4] This nickname is also used for the local college and high school.

There are two stories about the origin of the town's name. In one version it is named after Elizabeth Reeby, wife of Michael Reeby who sold the first building lots here in about 1795. Another version has it named after the wife of Captain Barnabas Hughes who purchased The Black Bear Tavern in 1750.

The officially accepted history is that, in 1753, Captain Barnabas Hughes acquired land and laid out a town, naming it for his wife, Elizabeth. The early settlers were primarily Scots-Irish and Pennsylvania Dutch.

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Elizabethtown PA

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Elizabethtown PA.