How to Pick the Right Esthetician Program Near Bethesda Maryland

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bethesda MD, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate 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 somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Bethesda residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Bethesda Maryland clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:

• Assessing a patient’s needs
• Chemical peels
• Laser treatments
• Waxing
• Facials
• Massage of the head and neck
• Microdermabrasion

Online Esthetician Classes

Online esthetician schools are convenient for Bethesda MD students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools

Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Bethesda residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Bethesda MD employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Bethesda MD salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a Bethesda MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Bethesda MD businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered.

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Enroll in the Best Bethesda Esthetician Program

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Bethesda Maryland.

 

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