How to Select the Best Esthetics School near Ford City Pennsylvania
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Ford City PA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused 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 kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Ford City home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves 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 kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Ford City PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:
- Estheticians
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Ford City PA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Ford City PA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses
Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Ford City residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 16226 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Ford City PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Ford City PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 dream is to start a Ford City PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Ford City PA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician 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 learn 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 also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.
Top Esthetics Programs Online Ford City Pennsylvania
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Top Esthetics Programs Online and wanting more information on the topic Accelerated Esthetics Training. However, if you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Ford City PA.
More Beauty Spots in Ford City Pennsylvania
Ford City, Pennsylvania
Ford City is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Pittsburgh along the east bank of the Allegheny River and 4 miles (6 km) south of Kittanning, the county seat. The population of Ford City at the 2010 census was 2,991.[3]
Ford City was founded in 1887 as a company town by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company (now PPG Industries) as the site for its Works No. 3 glass factory. The town was named in honor of the company founder, John Baptiste Ford (1811–1903). The factory employed as many as 5,000 workers in its heyday. PPG shut down its Ford City operations in the 1990s. The once largest employer in Armstrong County, Eljer Plumbing, shut down its Ford City plant in 2008.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.77 square miles (2.0 km2), of which 0.66 square miles (1.7 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2), or 15.28%, is water.[3]
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