How to Find the Right Aesthetician Program Near Towson Maryland
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Towson MD, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Towson home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of courses are available.
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Esthetics Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Towson MD business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it's imperative to make certain that it's certified by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Towson MD students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Towson residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Towson 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 an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Towson MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult 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 Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Towson MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Towson MD businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Towson
Enroll in the Best Towson Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Towson Maryland.
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