How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lutherville Timonium MD

How to Choose an Esthetician Training Program near Lutherville Timonium Maryland

Lutherville Timonium MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lutherville Timonium MD, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lutherville Timonium residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lutherville Timonium MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lutherville Timonium MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Lutherville Timonium MD esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate 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 run a salon or other Lutherville Timonium MD business. Higher 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 choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Lutherville Timonium MD Online esthetician schools are convenient for Lutherville Timonium MD students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

Lutherville Timonium MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lutherville Timonium home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 21093 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Lutherville Timonium MD employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lutherville Timonium MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to find out 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 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 often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 aspiration is to open a Lutherville Timonium MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty 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 site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Lutherville Timonium MD businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lutherville Timonium MD?

Perhaps you live in the Lutherville Timonium 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.

Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland

Lutherville-Timonium was a census-designated place (CDP) in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States, for the 2000 census. At that time the population was 15,814. For the 2010 census the area was split into two CDPs, the unincorporated communities of Lutherville and Timonium. Within its borders lies the Lutherville Historic District. The Maryland State Fair is held in Timonium each year near Labor Day.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 15,814 people, 6,485 households, and 4,461 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,142.1 people per square mile (827.3/km²). There were 6,614 housing units at an average density of 895.9 per square mile (346.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.10% White, 3.22% African American, 0.15% Native American, 5.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.22% of the population.

There were 6,485 households out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.86.

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near Lutherville Timonium MD

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget 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 sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Lutherville Timonium MD.