Cosmetologist Colleges Oxford PA

How to Choose the Best Cosmetology College near Oxford Pennsylvania

Oxford PA beauty salonSince you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Oxford PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper education 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 confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oxford home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

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What is Cosmetology

Oxford PA makeup school studentCosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may 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 require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Oxford PA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed 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 practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

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Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Oxford PA hair design student cutting hairThere are primarily two avenues available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Oxford PA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Cosmetologist Courses

Oxford PA student attending online beauty schoolOnline cosmetology classes are accommodating for Oxford PA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Training Classes

Questions to ask Oxford PA cosmetology schoolsBelow is a list of questions that you need to research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Oxford PA home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 19363 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Oxford PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Oxford PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in 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 aspiration is to start a hair salon in Oxford PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Oxford PA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Cosmetologist Colleges Oxford Pennsylvania

Oxford PA nail tech students in trainingLocating and enrolling in the right beauty program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Cosmetologist Colleges and learning more about the topic Cosmetology School Requirements. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, 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 choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Oxford PA.

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    Oxford, Pennsylvania

    Oxford is located near the half-way point on the main road from Philadelphia to Baltimore. The owner of the stage between the two cities purchased Hood's Tavern and renamed it Oxford Hotel. It became the stopping point on the two-day trip between the two cities.

    In 1805, the Oxford post office was established. In 1833, Oxford was officially incorporated as a borough. Its first burgess (now called the mayor) was Thomas Alexander, who operated a general store thought to be the oldest building in Oxford.

    The northern half of Oxford was owned by the Dickey family in the 19th century. The Dickeys included the local Presbyterian minister, the Mr O'Malley of the local bank, a state Representative, and local businessmen. Reverend John Miller Dickey and his wife Sarah Emlen Cresson founded Ashmun Institute in 1854, and which later became Lincoln University. The family played a major role in re-routing the new Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad (P&BC) through Oxford. Track was laid in the 1850s. The railroad reached Oxford in 1860 and later connected to Philadelphia and Baltimore.[4] By the time of the Civil War, Oxford was a bustling community. The business district on Third Street was entirely re-built at this time, including the Oxford Hotel (1858) and Oxford Hall (1862). Oxford became known for its confectionery and candy businesses and was the location of many manufacturing facilities. A second railroad, the Peach Bottom Railway, was built in the 1870s from Oxford to Peach Bottom. It carried farm products and passengers but was not profitable. It struggled through three bankruptcies and reorganized as the Lancaster, Oxford and Southern Railway, finally closing permanently in 1918.[5]

     

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