How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Franklin PA

How to Choose an Esthetics College near Franklin Pennsylvania

Franklin PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Franklin PA, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Franklin residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Franklin PA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Franklin PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish 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 have many titles 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 earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Franklin PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Franklin PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Franklin PA Online esthetician programs are convenient for Franklin PA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Franklin PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Franklin residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 16323 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Franklin PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Franklin PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full 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 particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 launch a Franklin 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Franklin PA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Franklin PA?

Perhaps you live in the Franklin 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.

Franklin County, Pennsylvania

Franklin County comprises the Chambersburg–Waynesboro, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Washington–Baltimore–Arlington, DC–MD–VA–WV–PA, Combined Statistical Area. It lies to a large extent within the Cumberland Valley.

Originally part of Lancaster County (1729), then York County (1749), then Cumberland County (1750), Franklin County became an independent jurisdiction on September 9, 1784, relatively soon after the end of the American Revolutionary War.[3] It is named in honor of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.[4]

Franklin County is in the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay and the overwhelming majority of it is drained by the Potomac River, but the Conodoguinet Creek and the Sherman Creek drain northeastern portions into the Susquehanna River. It has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and its hardiness zone is 6b.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Franklin PA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Franklin PA.