How to Find the Best Aesthetician School Near Laurel Maryland
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Laurel MD, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Laurel residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 offered.
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Esthetician Training Requirements
Estheticians are highly trained, in-demand skincare experts, which is why an esthetics program requires around 600 hours of hands-on training hours. For licensure, you need to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the skin and the technology used in advanced treatments like lasers, LED lights, oxygen, or ultrasonic waves. Keep in mind that program requirements can vary by state, but most states require at least 600 hours of training to obtain a license in the field. In addition to training, estheticians should also have a professional and friendly personality that instills confidence in their clients. A skilled esthetician must be able to listen and empathize with their clients’ needs and concerns, often personalizing treatment for them.
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 Laurel Maryland nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Schools
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Laurel MD students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important 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 complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Laurel home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Laurel MD businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Laurel MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in 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 desire is to open a Laurel MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Laurel MD employers 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. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Laurel
Enroll in the Best Laurel Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Laurel Maryland.