How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Woodbine MD

How to Choose an Esthetician School near Woodbine Maryland

Woodbine MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Woodbine MD, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Woodbine residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning 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 courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Woodbine MD Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Woodbine MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example 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.

Esthetician Degrees

Woodbine MD esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Woodbine MD business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Woodbine MD Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Woodbine MD students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because 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 courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Woodbine MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Woodbine residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 21797 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Woodbine MD businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Woodbine MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, 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. And finally, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular 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 choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Woodbine MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. 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 acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he receives aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Woodbine MD employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Woodbine MD?

Perhaps you live in the Woodbine 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.

Woodbine, Maryland

Woodbine is an unincorporated rural community in Howard and Carroll counties, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Baltimore metropolitan area. It is located southeast of Frederick, west of Baltimore, north of Washington, D.C., and east of Mount Airy. The community was named for the woodbine plant, which grew in the community in fields and along riverbanks.

Woodbine is located at the juncture of the Patapsco River, the B&O Railroad, and the road that runs north from Lisbon to Winfield on Liberty Road (Maryland Route 26) and through to Westminster, Maryland. The original road from Baltimore to Frederick runs just north of Lisbon, following a slight ridge line westward half way to Woodbine (the road was finally paved in the 1960s). This was the original trail that existed before the National Road was built (the road that runs through Lisbon).

During the Civil War, Confederate cavalry crossed the Patapsco River at Woodbine and at Hoods Mill, just a few miles east on the river and the B&O Railroad, scouting the Union Army that was on its way to the Battle of Gettysburg. The main road at that time ran just west of the existing road and up the west side of a creek that runs south and that joins with the Patapsco River just 50 yards west of the existing road. That original road, now partly unused, runs north 100 yards from the river and then Eastward (Gum Road) to join up with the existing road today. There was no bridge across the Patapsco River at that time, just a ford in the river.

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near Woodbine MD

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Woodbine MD.