How to Select the Right Aesthetician Classes Near Montgomery Village Maryland
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Montgomery Village MD, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Montgomery Village residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of programs are available.
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Esthetician 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 Montgomery Village 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 Esthetician Schools
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Montgomery Village MD students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Montgomery Village residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet 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 available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Montgomery Village MD employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Montgomery Village MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Montgomery Village 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Montgomery Village MD businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Montgomery Village
Enroll in the Best Montgomery Village Esthetician Program
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Montgomery Village Maryland.
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