Schools Of Beauty Athens PA

How to Find the Right Cosmetologist Degree Program near Athens Pennsylvania

Athens PA wedding makeup artist with client Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Athens PA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Athens home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other considerations 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 thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Athens PA hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really 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, the majority of states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Athens PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

nail techs training at Athens PA beauty school There are primarily two pathways offered to get cosmetology 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 usually call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Athens PA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure 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 discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetologist Schools

student attending online beauty school in Athens PA Online beauty programs are accommodating for Athens PA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop 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 short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Training Programs

Questions to ask Athens PA cosmetology schools Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Athens PA home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 18810 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Athens PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Athens PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a hair salon in Athens PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s important that she or he gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Athens 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 organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be available.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Athens PA?

If you are considering attending Beauty School in Athens PA or in a nearby area, following is some interesting and useful information regarding the location of your new school campus.

Athens, Pennsylvania

Athens is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States, located 2 miles (3 km) south of the New York state line on the Susquehanna and Chemung rivers. The population was 3,749 in 1900 and 3,796 in 1910. The population was 3,367 at the 2010 census.[4] Athens is in a small area locally known as "The Valley", a group of four contiguous communities in Pennsylvania and New York: Waverly, New York; South Waverly, Pennsylvania; Sayre, Pennsylvania; and Athens. The Valley has a population near 30,000.

In September 2011, Athens was heavily damaged by river flooding from Tropical Storm Lee. Much of Athens was under water, with the most damage in the downtown area along the river. Damage in nearby Tioga County, New York, was estimated at $100 million.[5]

Athens is located in northern Bradford County at 41°57′50″N 76°31′21″W / 41.96389°N 76.52250°W / 41.96389; -76.52250 (41.963809, -76.522608).[7] It lies on land between the Susquehanna River to the east and the Chemung River to the west, extending southward to their confluence at Tioga Point. The borough of Sayre borders Athens to the north, and Athens Township borders the remainder of the borough, to the east, west, and south.

Athens PA barber trimming hair Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Schools Of Beauty. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, 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 proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Athens PA.