How to Choose the Best Esthetician College Near South Laurel Maryland

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near South Laurel MD, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the school you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your South Laurel residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are available.

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Esthetician Degrees

There are primarily two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other South Laurel MD business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it's essential to make sure that it's recognized by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician schools are accommodating for South Laurel MD students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion 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 outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your South Laurel home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, 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 may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many South Laurel MD businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with South Laurel MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on 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 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. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with South Laurel MD businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check 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. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in South Laurel

Enroll in the Right South Laurel Esthetician Training

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in South Laurel Maryland.

 

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