How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Gwynedd Valley PA

How to Find the Right Esthetics Course near Gwynedd Valley Pennsylvania

Gwynedd Valley PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Gwynedd Valley PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about 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 Gwynedd Valley home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Gwynedd Valley PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many 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 almost 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 undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Gwynedd Valley PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Gwynedd Valley PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Gwynedd Valley PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Gwynedd Valley PA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Gwynedd Valley PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Gwynedd Valley PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Gwynedd Valley home, together with the price 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 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. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 19437 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Gwynedd Valley PA employers will not recruit 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 institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Gwynedd Valley PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might 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 submitted 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 facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a Gwynedd Valley 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Gwynedd Valley PA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools 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 regarded 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 office. 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 offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Gwynedd Valley PA?

Perhaps you live in the Gwynedd Valley 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.

Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Mercy University is a Catholic university in Lower Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania. It occupies a 25 miles (40 km) campus in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. In addition to the Gwynedd Valley campus, Gwynedd Mercy also has locations in Philadelphia and Bensalem, Pennsylvania.[1]

Gwynedd Mercy University was founded in 1948, as Gwynedd-Mercy College, by the Sisters of Mercy as a junior college. In 1963 the college was rechartered as a baccalaureate institution. The school later renamed itself Gwynedd Mercy University.[2] GMercyU offers more than 40 undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing, education, business, and the arts & sciences.

Dating to the early 1900s the grounds were originally owned by Frances Bond, an investment banker, and were known as Willowbrook Farm. The farm hosted a large Gregorian mansion, formal gardens and outbuildings that were designed by renowned Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, the acclaimed architect of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.[3] The mansion which the Bonds lived in and is now over one-hundred years old, is still in use by the University today as Assumption Hall.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Training Program near Gwynedd Valley PA

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Gwynedd Valley PA.