How to Choose the Best Esthetician Training Program Near College Park Maryland
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near College Park MD, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your College Park home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.
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Esthetician 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 College Park Maryland nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Training
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for College Park MD students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your College Park residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of College Park MD employers will not employ 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 a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with College Park 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 might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to start a College Park MD beauty salon, then you need 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 seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. 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 enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find 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 important that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with College Park MD businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses 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 Aid Offered? Almost all 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. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be available.
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Enroll in the Right College Park Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you get from the beauty 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 process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in College Park Maryland.
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