How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Catonsville MD

How to Select an Esthetician Course near Catonsville Maryland

Catonsville MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Catonsville MD, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Catonsville residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Catonsville 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 referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Catonsville MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Catonsville MD esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Catonsville 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 training program you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Catonsville MD Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Catonsville MD students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Catonsville MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series 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 relative to your Catonsville 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 options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 21228 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Catonsville MD employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Catonsville MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 Catonsville MD beauty salon, then you want 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 pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Catonsville MD employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? 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. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Catonsville MD?

Perhaps you live in the Catonsville 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.

Catonsville, Maryland

Catonsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 41,567 at the 2010 census.[3] The community lies to the west of Baltimore along the city's border. Catonsville contains the majority of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), a major public research university with close to 14,000 students.

Before European colonists settled in present-day Catonsville, the area was occupied by the Piscataway tribe. These Native Americans had good relations with the first European settlers in the area, but wars and diseases caused their population to decline. The remainder of the tribe’s population gradually dispersed. In the early 1700s, colonists slowly settled in the area, and roads were built. The first of these settlements in the present-day Catonsville area was Johnnycake Town, settled in the 1720s.[4] Johnnycake Town was named after the kind of cornbread sold to travelers at the local tavern. Although Johnnycake Town has since disappeared from maps, its main roads, Johnnycake Road, Old Frederick Road, and Rolling Road still exist today.[5] Rolling Road was used to transport tobacco from plantations south to the Patapsco River on horse-drawn wagons. In 1787, the Ellicott family built a road, called the Frederick Turnpike, to transport goods from their flour mill, Ellicott Mills, to the Baltimore harbor. The turnpike was built just south of where Johnnycake Town was. Charles Carroll, who was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, owned land next to the newly built road. He instructed his son-in-law, Richard Caton, to develop the area along the road. He gave his name to the community and called it “Catonville”, although the name was changed to “Catonsville” in the 1830s. For decades, the village remained as a quiet farming community. Businesses sprang up along the Frederick Turnpike to cater to travelers traveling from Ellicott City to the Baltimore harbor. Naturally, Catonsville served as a layover stop for the travelers, and the town increasingly grew and developed.[4] The pleasant surroundings attracted wealthy Baltimorean merchants, who, eager to escape the summer heat, built large Victorian and colonial summer homes there. Many of these homes still stand today.[6] Starting in 1862, horsecar services connected Catonsville to Baltimore, and in 1884, the Catonsville Short Line railroad was built, providing 8 roundtrip trains to Baltimore daily. This allowed people to live in Catonsville but commute to work in Baltimore. Commuter traffic exploded in the 1890s with the construction of electric streetcar lines and fancy housing developments. Catonsville had become one of the first commuter suburbs in the United States. Baltimore had tried to annex Catonsville, although their attempts have all been failures. Their last attempt was in 1918. Homes of all sizes were being constructed rapidly until the 1950s when much of land around the Frederick Turnpike had been converted into housing.

In 2002, the Maryland legislature issued a proclamation declaring Catonsville to be "Music City, Maryland", because of the concentration of musical retail stores, venues and educational facilities in the area.

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Catonsville MD

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Catonsville MD.