How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lansdowne PA

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Lansdowne Pennsylvania

Lansdowne PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lansdowne PA, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lansdowne home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lansdowne PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lansdowne PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, 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 earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Lansdowne PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to obtain 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 typically call for 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Lansdowne PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Lansdowne PA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Lansdowne PA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Lansdowne PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lansdowne residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 19050 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Lansdowne PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent 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 placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lansdowne PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 dream is to start a Lansdowne PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that she or he gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Lansdowne PA businesses 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, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of 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 cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lansdowne PA?

Perhaps you live in the Lansdowne 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.

Lansdowne, Pennsylvania

Lansdowne is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States located 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the City Center of Philadelphia. It was named for the Marquess of Lansdowne. As of the 2010 census the borough had a population of 10,620.[3]

Lansdowne grew quickly in the early part of the twentieth century when a railroad stop was established near the intersection of Lansdowne Avenue and Baltimore Pike. The borough is primarily residential with a commercial center near the original railroad stop. The borough also contained some light industrial buildings which have been in decline in recent decades.

Lansdowne is located in eastern Delaware County at 39°56′29″N 75°16′31″W / 39.94139°N 75.27528°W / 39.94139; -75.27528 (39.941345, -75.275343).[4] It is bordered to the southeast by Yeadon, to the southwest by Aldan and Clifton Heights, and to the north, east, west, and south by Upper Darby Township. Drexel Hill, a part of Upper Darby Township, borders Lansdowne to the northwest, and the borough of East Lansdowne is just 0.1 miles (0.16 km) east of the Lansdowne border.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Program near Lansdowne PA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Lansdowne PA.