How to Select the Right Aesthetician Program Near Owings Mills Maryland
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Owings Mills MD, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Owings Mills residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Owings Mills Maryland spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Owings Mills MD students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Owings Mills home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Owings Mills MD businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Owings Mills MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted 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, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Owings Mills MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Owings Mills MD employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.
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Enroll in the Right Owings Mills Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize 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 start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer 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. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Owings Mills Maryland.
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