Esthetics Training Lehigh Valley PA

How to Enroll In the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania

Lehigh Valley PA wedding makeup artist with client Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Lehigh Valley PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lehigh Valley home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning 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 kinds of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

Lehigh Valley PA hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lehigh Valley PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing 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 become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

nail techs training at Lehigh Valley PA beauty school There are primarily two options available to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Lehigh Valley PA business. Higher 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 opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Cosmetology Courses

student attending online beauty school in Lehigh Valley PA Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Lehigh Valley PA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Programs

Questions to ask Lehigh Valley PA cosmetology schools Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lehigh Valley PA residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 18001 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lehigh Valley PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lehigh Valley PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, 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 Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Lehigh Valley PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Lehigh Valley PA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 Aid Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Lehigh Valley PA?

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

Lehigh Valley

The Lehigh Valley (/ˈliːhaɪ/), known officially by the United States Census Bureau and the United States Office of Management and Budget[3] as the Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA–NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area and referred to colloquially as The Valley,[4] is a metropolitan region officially consisting of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties in eastern Pennsylvania and Warren county on the western edge of New Jersey, in the Eastern United States.[5] The Lehigh Valley's largest city, with a population of 120,443, is Allentown.[6]

The region is a part of the larger New York City metropolitan area, but borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area. All of the region, except Warren County, New Jersey, is part of Philadelphia's designated media market.

The Lehigh Valley is the third most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area in the state of Pennsylvania with a population of 821,173 residents as of the 2010 U.S. Census.[2] The region is eclipsed in total population in Pennsylvania only by the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metropolitan areas.[2] It is the 64th most populated metropolitan area in the United States. Lehigh County, the Valley's largest county in terms of overall population, is among the fastest growing in the state and, as of 2010–2012, ranks in the 79th percentile for population growth nationally. The core population centers are located in southern and central Lehigh and Northampton counties along U.S. Route 22 and Interstate 78. The Lehigh Valley is proximate to two of the nation's largest cities: New York City, which is about 75 miles to its east, and Philadelphia, which is 50 miles to its southeast.

Lehigh Valley PA barber trimming hair Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Esthetics Training. So be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Lehigh Valley PA.