How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools State College PA

How to Choose an Esthetics Course near State College Pennsylvania

State College PA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near State College PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your State College home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications 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 considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners State College PA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only State College PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

State College PA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, 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. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other State College PA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in State College PA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for State College PA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short 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 spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

State College PA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your State College home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional 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 should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 16801 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous State College PA employers will not employ 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 school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with State College PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. 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 Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a State College PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish 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 help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with State College PA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near State College PA?

Perhaps you live in the State College 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.

State College, Pennsylvania

State College is a home rule municipality in Centre County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the largest designated borough in Pennsylvania.[4] It is the principal borough of the six municipalities that make up the State College area, the largest settlement in Centre County and one of the principal cities of the greater State College-DuBois Combined Statistical Area with a combined population of 236,577 as of the 2010 United States Census. In the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034 with approximately 105,000 living in the borough plus the surrounding townships often referred to locally as the "Centre Region." Many of these Centre Region communities also carry a "State College, PA" address although are not part of the borough of State College.[4]

State College is a college town, dominated economically and demographically by the presence of the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). Lion Country is another used term to refer to the State College area, the term also includes the borough and the townships of College, Harris, Patton, and Ferguson. When including college and graduate students, State College is the third most populous city in Pennsylvania, after Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

State College evolved from a village to a town in order to serve the needs of the Pennsylvania State College, founded as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania in 1855. State College was incorporated as a borough on August 29, 1896, and has grown with the college, which was renamed The Pennsylvania State University in 1953.

Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near State College PA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in State College PA.