How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Rockville MD

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Rockville Maryland

Rockville MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Rockville MD, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Rockville residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Rockville MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look 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 form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Rockville MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client 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 are known by 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 earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Rockville MD esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to get 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, 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. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Rockville MD business. Higher 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 imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Rockville MD Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Rockville MD students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact 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 online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire 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.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Rockville MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Rockville residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together 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 certain that the esthetician college 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 20847 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Rockville MD employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses 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 agencies. If you have any contacts with Rockville MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to find out 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, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 start a Rockville MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s crucial that she or he receives assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Rockville MD employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive 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. Ask if the schools you are investigating 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 also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Rockville MD?

Perhaps you live in the Rockville 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.

Rockville, Maryland

Rockville is a city and the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, part of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. The 2010 census tabulated Rockville's population at 61,209, making it one of the largest communities in Maryland[7] and the third largest location in Montgomery County, after Silver Spring and Germantown.[8]

Rockville, along with neighboring Gaithersburg and Bethesda, is at the core of the Interstate 270 Technology Corridor which is home to numerous software and biotechnology companies as well as several federal government institutions. The city also has several upscale regional shopping centers and is one of the major retail hubs in Montgomery County.

Situated in the Piedmont region and crossed by three creeks (Rock Creek, Cabin John Creek, and Watts Branch), Rockville provided an excellent refuge for semi-nomadic Native Americans as early as 8000 BC. By the first millennium BC, a few of these groups had settled down into year-round agricultural communities that exploited the native flora, including sunflowers and marsh elder. By AD 1200, these early groups (dubbed Montgomery Indians by later archaeologists) were increasingly drawn into conflict with the Senecas and Susquehannocks who had migrated south from Pennsylvania and New York. Within the present-day boundaries of the city, six prehistoric sites have been uncovered and documented, along with numerous artifacts several thousand years old. By the year 1700, under pressure from European colonists, the majority of these original inhabitants had been driven away.

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Rockville MD

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive 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 process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start 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 choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Rockville MD.