How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Brookeville MD

How to Find the Right Esthetician College near Brookeville Maryland

Brookeville MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Brookeville MD, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Brookeville home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Brookeville MD Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Brookeville MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Brookeville MD esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Brookeville MD business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Brookeville MD Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Brookeville MD students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area 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 gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Brookeville MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Brookeville residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program 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 acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 20833 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Brookeville MD employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Brookeville MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact 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 Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Brookeville MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Brookeville MD employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Brookeville MD?

Perhaps you live in the Brookeville 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.

Brookeville, Maryland

Brookeville is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, located 20 km (12 mi) north of Washington, D.C., and 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Olney. Brookeville was settled by Quakers late in the 18th century and was formally incorporated as a town in 1808. Historically part of the local agricultural industry, since the 1950s Brookeville has developed rapidly into a suburban community of Washington, D.C. following the construction of the Georgia Avenue toll road. The population was 134 at the 2010 census.

Brookeville is notable as the "United States Capital for a Day" during the War of 1812 when British troops burned Washington D.C., and President James Madison sought refuge in Brookeville on August 26, 1814. During the American Civil War, Brookeville, along with nearby Sandy Spring, was a stop on the underground railroad.

The United States Postal Service defines a larger area as Brookeville than what falls within the town boundaries. This includes areas extending to the Patuxent River and the Howard County border, and including the small hamlets of Sunshine and Brighton. Reddy Branch Stream Valley Park surrounds the Town of Brookeville, with the creek flowing west to east towards the Patuxent. Other parks and recreational areas include Rachel Carson Conservation Park, Patuxent River State Park, and the Triadelphia Reservoir. Areas to the north of Brookeville in Howard County and Carroll County have also experienced rapid population growth. Georgia Avenue carries a substantial volume of traffic through the town, from these areas to the north into Montgomery County and Washington, D.C. In 1966, county planning officials recommended that a bypass be built to carry commuters around the town. The project is currently fully funded and in the engineering phase. Construction is projected to begin in 2016.

Choose the Right Esthetician Program near Brookeville MD

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Brookeville MD.