How to Choose the Best Esthetician School Near Gaithersburg Maryland

Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Gaithersburg MD, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Gaithersburg residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of programs are available.

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Esthetician Degrees

There are essentially two options available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Gaithersburg MD business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it's important to make sure that it's recognized by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Gaithersburg MD students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Gaithersburg home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining 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 final benefit, many Gaithersburg MD businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Gaithersburg MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete 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, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal 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 want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting 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. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that she or he gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Gaithersburg MD businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Gaithersburg

Enroll in the Best Gaithersburg Esthetician Program

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, 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 confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Gaithersburg Maryland.

 

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