How to Select the Best Aesthetician College Near South Laurel Maryland

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near South Laurel MD, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary 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 essentially interchangeable and both relate 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 South Laurel residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are available.

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Esthetics 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 South Laurel 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 Training

Online esthetician classes are accommodating for South Laurel MD students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your South Laurel residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary 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 concluding benefit, many South Laurel MD employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with South Laurel MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 launch a South Laurel MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that he or she receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with South Laurel MD employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive 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 investigating have a financial aid office. Consult 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in South Laurel

Enroll in the Best South Laurel Esthetician Program

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address 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 choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in South Laurel Maryland.

 

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