How to Find the Right Aesthetician Program Near Beltsville Maryland

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Beltsville MD, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Beltsville residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of programs are available.

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Esthetics Training Programs

An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.

Esthetician Job Description

An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Beltsville Maryland nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.

Online Esthetics Training

Online esthetician programs are convenient for Beltsville MD students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Programs

Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Beltsville residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 initial qualifications, there are even more 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 decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Beltsville MD businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Beltsville MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Beltsville MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons 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 provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Beltsville MD businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be offered.

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Enroll in the Right Beltsville Esthetician Course

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, 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 self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Beltsville Maryland.

 

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