How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Edgewood MD

How to Enroll In an Esthetician College near Edgewood Maryland

Edgewood MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Edgewood MD, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Edgewood home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Edgewood MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be 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 go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Edgewood MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Edgewood MD esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Edgewood MD business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, 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 respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Edgewood MD Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Edgewood MD students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering 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 important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Edgewood MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Edgewood home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 choices 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 compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 21040 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Edgewood MD businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Edgewood MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 vision is to open a Edgewood MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Edgewood MD employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Edgewood MD?

Perhaps you live in the Edgewood 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.

Edgewood, Maryland

Edgewood is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Harford County, Maryland, United States. The population was 25,562 at the 2010 census,[1] up from 23,378 at the 2000 census.

Edgewood is located in southwestern Harford County at 39°25′49″N 76°18′20″W / 39.43028°N 76.30556°W / 39.43028; -76.30556 (39.430275, -76.305555).[3] It is bordered to the west by Baltimore County, Joppatowne, to the north by Bel Air South, to the east by the Bush River, an arm of Chesapeake Bay, to the south by the Edgewood Arsenal portion of Aberdeen Proving Ground, and to the southwest by the tidal Gunpowder River, another arm of the Chesapeake.

Interstate 95 forms the northern border of the Edgewood CDP and provides access from Exit 74 (Maryland Route 152) and Exit 77 (Maryland Route 24). I-95 leads southwest 25 miles (40 km) to Baltimore and northeast 50 miles (80 km) to Wilmington, Delaware. U.S. Route 40 (Pulaski Highway) runs through the northern part of Edgewood, parallel to I-95. US 40 leads southwest 9 miles (14 km) to White Marsh and the same distance northeast to Aberdeen. Maryland Route 24 begins at an entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground in the southern part of the CDP and leads 10 miles (16 km) north to Bel Air, the Harford County seat.

Find the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Edgewood MD

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Edgewood MD.