How to Select the Best Aesthetician College Near Gaithersburg Maryland
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Gaithersburg MD, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Gaithersburg home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are available.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
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 Gaithersburg Maryland nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Gaithersburg MD students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills necessary 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 Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Gaithersburg residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available 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 Gaithersburg MD businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Gaithersburg MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 dream is to launch a Gaithersburg MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Gaithersburg MD businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.
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Enroll in the Right Gaithersburg Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Gaithersburg Maryland.
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