How to Choose the Best Cosmetology College near Abbottstown Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Abbottstown PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Abbottstown residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
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Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use 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 term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Abbottstown PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go 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 already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
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Cosmetology Degrees
There are essentially two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Abbottstown PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Abbottstown PA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight 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’re not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Abbottstown PA residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 17301 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Abbottstown PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred 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 agencies. If you have any relationships with Abbottstown PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on 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 open a hair salon in Abbottstown PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that she or he gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Abbottstown PA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.
Cosmetology Beauty School Abbottstown Pennsylvania
Picking and enrolling in the right beauty program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Cosmetology Beauty School and learning more about the topic Cosmetology Programs. So make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible 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 field. If you begin with that foundation, 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. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Abbottstown PA.
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Abbottstown, Pennsylvania
Abbottstown is named for John Abbott, who founded it in 1753.[4] The John Abbott House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[5] The town had rail service via the East Berlin Railroad from 1877 to 1914 and 1916 to 1939. The tracks were removed in 1940.[6]
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 905 people, 323 households, and 254 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,592.2 people per square mile (613.0/km²). There were 346 housing units at an average density of 608.7 per square mile (234.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.25% White, 0.22% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 3.87% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.52% of the population.
There were 323 households out of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.15.
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