How to Choose a Barber College Croydon PA

How to Find the Right Cosmetology Program near Croydon Pennsylvania

Croydon PA wedding makeup artist with client Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Croydon PA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused 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 further regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Croydon residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

Croydon 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 many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Croydon PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

nail techs training at Croydon PA beauty school There are primarily 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 take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily 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 available if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Croydon PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Cosmetologist Schools

student attending online beauty school in Croydon PA Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Croydon PA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Training Classes

Questions to ask Croydon PA cosmetology schools Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Croydon PA home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 19021 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Croydon 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 an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Croydon PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult 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 beauty schools offer programs that are expansive 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 Croydon PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Croydon PA employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Croydon PA?

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

Croydon, Pennsylvania

Croydon does not have a central government of its own. It is not organized or incorporated as a town or village. The area known as Croydon is located in Bristol Township. Croydon has an all-volunteer fire company which handles fire, medical, marine, and other calls servicing the community named Croydon Fire Company #1. Croydon uses zip code 19021.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.4 km2 (2.5 sq mi), all of it land. Croydon is bordered to the south by Neshaminy Creek, which is tidal, and navigable by small vessels (about a 8 ft (2.4 m) to 6 ft (1.8 m) draft at high tide). There are several private marinas on the Neshaminy, and a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania marina (part of Neshaminy State Park) at the mouth of the creek. The Neshaminy empties into the Delaware River, which borders Croydon to the east, and forms the boundary between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The Delaware is tidal in Croydon, and is navigable by ocean-going vessels (40 foot marked / maintained channel) as far upriver as Trenton, New Jersey.

As of the 2010 census, Croydon was 82.9% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.1% some other race, and 1.6% were two or more races. 7.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.[1]

Croydon PA barber trimming hair Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology school is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about How to Choose a Barber College. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Croydon PA.