How to Choose the Right Esthetician Program Near South Laurel Maryland
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near South Laurel MD, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Laurel home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over 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 types of training programs are offered.
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Esthetician Training Programs
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
As skilled skincare experts, estheticians need to be knowledgeable of everything from skin histology and physiology to bacteriology and sanitation protocols. As beauty professionals, estheticians must be trained to perform the services that promote healthy, radiant skin – including everything from hair removal methods, pore cleansing and extractions to microdermabrasion, makeup artistry, chemical peels, and light therapy. As beauty and wellness experts, people also turn to estheticians for consultations, advice, and tips for home skincare regimens. They may recommend products, educate clients, and recommend esthetic procedures based on their clients’ needs and wants. Their work environments can include South Laurel Maryland spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for South Laurel MD students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your South Laurel home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of South Laurel MD employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with South Laurel MD salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose 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 desire is to launch a South Laurel 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that he or she receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with South Laurel MD employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm 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. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in South Laurel
Enroll in the Best South Laurel Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in South Laurel Maryland.
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