How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Laurel MD

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Laurel Maryland

Laurel MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Laurel MD, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Laurel residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example 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 discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Laurel MD Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Laurel MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Laurel MD esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options available to get 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 generally 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Laurel MD business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, 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 highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Laurel MD Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Laurel MD students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you choose 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 necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Laurel MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Laurel home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, 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 can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 20707 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Laurel MD businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great 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 businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Laurel MD salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If 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 aspiration is to start a Laurel MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Laurel MD businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of 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 discard it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Laurel MD?

Perhaps you live in the Laurel 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.

Laurel, Maryland

Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, in the United States, located almost midway between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore on the banks of the Patuxent River.[5] Founded as a mill town in the early 19th century, the arrival of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1835 expanded local industry and later enabled the city to become an early commuter town for Washington and Baltimore workers. Largely residential today, the city maintains a historic district centered on its Main Street, highlighting its industrial past.

The Department of Defense is a prominent presence in the Laurel area today, with the Fort Meade Army base, the National Security Agency, and Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory all located nearby. Laurel Park, a thoroughbred horse racetrack, is located just outside city limits.

Many dinosaur fossils from the Cretaceous Era are preserved in a 7.5-acre (3.0 ha) park in Laurel.[6] The site, which among other finds has yielded fossilized teeth from Astrodon and Priconodon species, has been called the most prolific in the eastern United States.[7] From the Late Glacial age in 10,700 B.C. to 8,500 B.C., Laurel's climate warmed and changed from a spruce forest to a hardwood forest. In the Late Archaic period from 4,000 to 1,000 B.C., Laurel would have been covered primarily with an oak and hickory forest.[8]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Laurel MD

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty 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 process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Laurel MD.