How to Choose the Right Esthetician School Near Baltimore Maryland

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Baltimore MD, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Baltimore residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of training programs are available.

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Esthetics Training Programs

Esthetics school is an investment of time, energy, and money. Requirements vary from state to state, but the majority of states require that you complete at least 600 hours of training. Full-time school can take an average of six months to complete, and part-time school can take anywhere from 9-12 months. The primary purpose of esthetics school is to get you ready to pass the state licensing exam. They also teach basic skills that you will need to perfect through experience and sometimes additional classes, such as giving facials, body treatments, and performing waxing.  More advanced training includes learning to work with machines, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and Lasers used to rejuvenate the skin and permanently remove hair.

Esthetician Job Description

Estheticians (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Baltimore Maryland spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.

Online Esthetics Schools

Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Baltimore MD students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Programs

Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Baltimore residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 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 supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Baltimore MD businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician school 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 testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Baltimore MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since 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 vision is to start a Baltimore MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she receives help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Baltimore MD employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be provided.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Baltimore

Enroll in the Best Baltimore Esthetician Training

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate 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 sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter 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 ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Baltimore Maryland.

 

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