How to Pick the Best Esthetician College Near Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bethlehem PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bethlehem home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of training programs are available.
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Esthetician Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues offered to receive esthetician 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 normally take 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Bethlehem PA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it's important to make sure that it's recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.
Online Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Bethlehem PA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount 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 driving back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary 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 make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Courses
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Bethlehem residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Bethlehem PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Bethlehem PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact 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 broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since 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 aspiration is to launch a Bethlehem PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that she or he receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Bethlehem PA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check 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 confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of 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. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Bethlehem Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, 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 self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Bethlehem Pennsylvania.
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