How to Select the Right Aesthetician Training Near Silver Spring Maryland

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Silver Spring MD, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference 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 plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Silver Spring home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of courses are available.

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Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

There are essentially two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Silver Spring MD business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it's essential to make certain that it's approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Programs

Online esthetician classes are convenient for Silver Spring MD students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in 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 traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive 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 choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Programs

Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Silver Spring residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Silver Spring MD businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Silver Spring MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact 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 Focus?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 objective 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 open a Silver Spring 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 ranked 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 perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that she or he gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Silver Spring MD employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Silver Spring

Enroll in the Best Silver Spring Esthetician Training

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when 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 Silver Spring Maryland.

 

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