How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Norristown PA

How to Choose an Esthetics Course near Norristown Pennsylvania

Norristown PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Norristown PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes 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 might be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Norristown residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Norristown PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order 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 settings include not only Norristown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 already stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Norristown PA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Norristown PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Norristown PA Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Norristown PA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a desktop 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 short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Norristown PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Norristown residence, 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 no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 19401 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Norristown PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Norristown PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, 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 Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Norristown 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Norristown PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Norristown PA?

Perhaps you live in the Norristown 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.

Norristown, Pennsylvania

Norristown is a borough (with home rule status) in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States.[3] Located along the Schuylkill River approximately six miles from the Philadelphia city limits, Norristown has a population of 34,324 as of the 2010 U.S. Census. It is the fourth most populous municipality in the county and second most populous borough in Pennsylvania.[4]

Named the county seat in 1784 when Montgomery County was formed, Norristown was incorporated as a borough in 1812 and subsequently enlarged in 1853. About 500 people lived there at the time of its incorporation. Growing rapidly after the Civil War, it swelled to 22,265 people by 1900 and by 1940 it was home to 38,181 Norristonians, making it the most populous borough in Pennsylvania before declining in the decades after World War II.

At its height, Norristown was an industrial, retail, banking, and government center. Breweries, cigar factories, textile mills, icehouses, foundries, rolling mills, and lumber yards provided ample employment for skilled laborers and artisans.[5] The downtown featured two department stores, several theaters, and enough goods and services that residents never had to leave town to find anything they needed.[6] Although primarily settled by the English and a handful of Germans, Scots, Dutch, and Swedes, in the mid-1800s the Irish began arriving in large numbers, followed by waves of Italians at the turn of the century.[7]

Pick the Right Esthetics Training Program near Norristown PA

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident 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 use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented 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 confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Norristown PA.