How to Select the Best Aesthetician Course Near Germantown Maryland
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Germantown MD, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Germantown home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of courses are offered.
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Esthetics 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 Germantown 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 Courses
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Germantown MD students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Germantown home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically 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, many Germantown 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 an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Germantown MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on 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 aspiration is to launch a Germantown MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that she or he receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Germantown MD businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask 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? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available.
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Enroll in the Best Germantown Esthetician Program
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile 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 sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Germantown Maryland.
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