How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Frederick MD

How to Select an Esthetics Program near Frederick Maryland

Frederick MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Frederick MD, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Frederick residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Frederick MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Frederick MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Frederick MD esthetician client with face mask There are essentially 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 require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Frederick MD business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Frederick MD Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Frederick MD students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Frederick MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Frederick home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 21701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Frederick 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? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Frederick MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete 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 specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a Frederick MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that he or she receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Frederick MD businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult 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 as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Frederick MD?

Perhaps you live in the Frederick 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.

Frederick, Maryland

Frederick is a city in, and the county seat of, Frederick County in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the intersection of a major north–south Indian trail and east–west routes to the Chesapeake Bay, both at Baltimore and what became Washington, D.C. and across the Appalachian mountains to the Ohio River watershed. It is a part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area. The city's population was 65,239 people at the 2010 United States Census, making it the second-largest incorporated city in Maryland, behind Baltimore. Frederick is home to Frederick Municipal Airport (IATA: FDK), which primarily accommodates general aviation traffic, and to the county's largest employer U.S. Army's Fort Detrick bioscience/communications research installation.[6]

Located where Catoctin Mountain (the easternmost ridge of the Blue Ridge mountains) meets the rolling hills of the Piedmont region, the Frederick area became a crossroads even before European explorers and traders arrived. Native American hunters (known to Virginia colonists as "Susquehannocks", which might be Algonquian-speaking Shawnee or more likely Seneca or Tuscarora or other members of the Iroquois Confederation) followed the Monocacy River from the Susquehanna River watershed in Pennsylvania to the Potomac River watershed and the lands of the more agrarian and maritime Algonquian peoples, particularly the Lenape of the Delaware valley or the Piscataway or Powhatan of the lower Potomac watershed and Chesapeake Bay. This became known as the Monocacy Trail or even the Great Indian Warpath, with some travelers continuing southward through the "Great Appalachian Valley" (Shenandoah Valley, etc.) to the western Piedmont in North Carolina, or traveling down other watersheds in Virginia toward the Chesapeake Bay, such as those of the Rappahannock, James and York Rivers.

The earliest European settlement was slightly north of Frederick in Monocacy, Maryland. Founded before 1730, when the Indian trail became a wagon road, Monocacy was abandoned before the American Revolutionary War, perhaps due to the river's periodic flooding or hostilities predating the French and Indian War, or simply Frederick's better location with easier access to the Potomac River near its confluence with the Monocacy.

Select the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Frederick MD

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Frederick MD.