How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Marriottsville MD

How to Choose an Esthetician College near Marriottsville Maryland

Marriottsville MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Marriottsville MD, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Marriottsville residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Marriottsville MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous 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 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 kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Marriottsville 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 seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties 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 must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Marriottsville MD esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Marriottsville MD business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Marriottsville MD Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Marriottsville MD students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently 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 internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part 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 Esthetics Schools

Marriottsville MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Marriottsville home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 21104 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Marriottsville MD employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding 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 referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Marriottsville MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. 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 Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Marriottsville 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 pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Marriottsville MD businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Marriottsville MD?

Perhaps you live in the Marriottsville 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.

Howard County, Maryland

Howard County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area. However, recent development in the south of the county has led to some realignment towards the Washington, D.C. media and employment markets. The county is home to Columbia, a major planned community of approximately 100,000 founded by developer James Rouse in 1967.

Howard County is frequently cited for its affluence, quality of life, and excellent schools. With an estimated median household income of $108,844 in 2012, Howard County had the third-highest median household income of any U.S. county in 2013.[3] Many of the most affluent communities in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, such as Clarksville, Dayton, Glenelg, Glenwood, and West Friendship, are located along the Route 32 corridor in Howard County. The main population center of Columbia/Ellicott City was named second among Money magazine's 2010 survey of "America's Best Places to Live."[4]Howard County's schools frequently rank first in Maryland as measured by standardized test scores and graduation rates.[5]

The name of the county honors Colonel John Eager Howard,[7] an officer in the "Maryland Line" of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War, commander notably at the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina in 1781, among others. He was the fifth governor of Maryland from 1788 to 1791. His home was the mansion "Belvedere", located at the present-day intersection of East Chase and North Calvert streets, north of Baltimore Town in an area also called "Howard's Woods", where Baltimore's Washington Monument was later erected and the neighborhood of Mount Vernon was developed in the 1820s.[8]

Select the Right Esthetics College near Marriottsville MD

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Marriottsville MD.