How to Find the Right Esthetician Classes Near Gaithersburg Maryland
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Gaithersburg MD, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate 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 Gaithersburg residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing 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 types of training programs are available.
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Esthetician 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 Gaithersburg 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 Esthetics Training
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Gaithersburg MD students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable 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 numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation 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 probably 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. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered 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 Gaithersburg MD employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Gaithersburg MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Gaithersburg MD employers that are searching for qualified 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. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Gaithersburg
Enroll in the Best Gaithersburg Esthetician Training
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process 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 post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Gaithersburg Maryland.
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