How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Milesburg PA

How to Pick an Esthetician Training Program near Milesburg Pennsylvania

Milesburg PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Milesburg PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Milesburg home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Milesburg PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically 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 undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Milesburg PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Milesburg PA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to obtain 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 generally require 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Milesburg PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Milesburg PA Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Milesburg PA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Milesburg PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Milesburg home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 16853 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Milesburg PA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Milesburg PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 aspiration is to start a Milesburg 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Milesburg PA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Milesburg PA?

Perhaps you live in the Milesburg 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.

Milesburg, Pennsylvania

As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 1,123 people, 459 households, and 305 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,503.4 people per square mile (966.8/km²). There were 489 housing units at an average density of 1,090.1 per square mile (421.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.7% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% other, and 0.2% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 459 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 19.1% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

Select the Right Esthetician Program near Milesburg PA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Milesburg PA.