How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Fairless Hills PA

How to Select an Esthetician School near Fairless Hills Pennsylvania

Fairless Hills PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Fairless Hills PA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Fairless Hills residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Fairless Hills PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Fairless Hills PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing 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.

Esthetics Degrees

Fairless Hills PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Fairless Hills PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s essential 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 benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Fairless Hills PA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Fairless Hills PA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Fairless Hills PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Fairless Hills home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 19030 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Fairless Hills PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Fairless Hills PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 Fairless Hills 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Fairless Hills PA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Fairless Hills PA?

Perhaps you live in the Fairless Hills 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.

Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania

Fairless Hills as it is known today began in 1951 when developer Danherst Corporation began erecting prefabricated homes built by Gunnison Magichomes, Inc. Gunnison was a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Steel. The development was financed by U.S. Steel with a loan of $50 million. It was named in honor of Benjamin Fairless, then president of U.S. Steel, which operated the "Fairless Works" plant which employed most of Fairless Hills' homeowners at the time.[2]

As of the 2010 census, Fairless Hills was 85.2% White, 3.7% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 5.6% Asian, 0.1% some other race, and 1.6% were two or more races. 3.6% were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. 8.4% of the population were foreign-born.[6]

As of the 2000 census, there were 3,220 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.15.

Pick the Right Esthetician College near Fairless Hills PA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Fairless Hills PA.