How to Find the Best Esthetician College Near Bowie Maryland
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bowie MD, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bowie residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetician Training Requirements
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 Bowie 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 Schools
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Bowie MD students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Bowie home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available 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 Bowie MD 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? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Bowie MD salon owners or managers, or any person 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 considered. And finally, consult 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 Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 intention 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 dream is to open a Bowie 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 rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find 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 essential that he or she gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Bowie MD businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with 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 too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Bowie
Enroll in the Best Bowie Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be 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 receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Bowie Maryland.
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