How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Takoma Park MD

How to Choose an Esthetics School near Takoma Park Maryland

Takoma Park MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Takoma Park MD, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Takoma Park 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 automatically the right choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing 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 bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Takoma Park MD Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Takoma Park MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Takoma Park MD esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after 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 commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Takoma Park MD business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Takoma Park MD Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Takoma Park MD students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Takoma Park MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Takoma Park home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 20912 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Takoma Park MD employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Takoma Park MD salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact 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 Specialty? Many 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 aspiration is to launch a Takoma Park 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search 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 essential that she or he gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Takoma Park MD businesses that are looking for skilled 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. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Takoma Park MD?

Perhaps you live in the Takoma Park 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.

Takoma Park, Maryland

Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C., and part of the Washington metropolitan area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called "Azalea City", is a Tree City USA and a nuclear-free zone. A planned commuter suburb, it is situated along the Metropolitan Branch of the historic Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, just northeast of Washington, D.C., and it shares a border and history with the adjacent neighborhood of Takoma, Washington, D.C. It is governed by an elected mayor and six elected councilmembers, who form the city council, and an appointed city manager, under a council-manager style of government. The city's population was 16,715 at the 2010 national census.[4]

Since 2013, residents of Takoma Park can vote in municipal elections when they turn sixteen.[5] It was the first city in the United States to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds in city elections.[5] Since then, the City of Hyattsville has done the same.[6]

Takoma Park was founded by Benjamin Franklin Gilbert in 1883.[7] It was one of the first planned Victorian commuter suburbs, [8] centered on the B&O railroad station in Takoma, D.C., and bore aspects of a spa and trolley park.

Select the Right Esthetics College near Takoma Park MD

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Takoma Park MD.