How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Ellicott City MD

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Ellicott City Maryland

Ellicott City MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Ellicott City MD, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Ellicott City residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Ellicott City MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Ellicott City MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Ellicott City MD esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon 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 usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Ellicott City 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. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Ellicott City MD Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Ellicott City MD students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Ellicott City MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Ellicott City home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 21041 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Ellicott City MD businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any 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 employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Ellicott City MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, 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 Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 start a Ellicott City MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that she or he gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Ellicott City MD businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, 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 Assistance Offered? 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 department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Ellicott City MD?

Perhaps you live in the Ellicott City Maryland area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Ellicott City, Maryland

Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in, and the county seat of, Howard County, Maryland, United States.[3] Part of the Baltimore metropolitan area, its population was 65,834 at the 2010 census,[4] qualifying it as the largest unincorporated county seat in the country.

Ellicott City's historic downtown – the Ellicott City Historic District – lies in the valleys of the Tiber and Patapsco rivers. The historic district includes the Ellicott City Station, which is the oldest surviving train station in the United States, having been built in 1830 as the first terminus of the original B&O Railroad line. The historic district is often called "Historic Ellicott City" or "Old Ellicott City" to distinguish it from the surrounding suburbs that extend south to Columbia and west to West Friendship.

In 1766, James Hood used the "Maryland Mill Act of 1669" to condemn 20 acres (8.1 ha) for a mill site adjacent to his river-side 157-acre (64 ha) property. His gristmill was built on the banks of the Patapsco River where the Frederick road (later known as the National Road, then U.S. Route 40, then Maryland Route 144) crossed the river. The site was later known as "Ellicott's Upper Mills".[5]:7 His son Benjamin rebuilt the corn grinding mill after one of the frequent Patapsco floods in 1768. Benjamin Hood then sold the mill to Joseph Ellicott in 1774 for 1,700 pounds. In later years the B&O Railroad ran through the property, with track laid over the graves of the Hood family.[6]:23

Choose the Right Esthetics College near Ellicott City MD

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Ellicott City MD.