How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Hagerstown MD

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Course near Hagerstown Maryland

Hagerstown MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Hagerstown MD, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Hagerstown home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance 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 offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Hagerstown MD Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Hagerstown MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Hagerstown MD esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 trained in each of the major 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 manage a salon or other Hagerstown MD business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Hagerstown MD Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Hagerstown MD students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Hagerstown MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Hagerstown home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college 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 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 offered in 21740 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Hagerstown 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 an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Hagerstown MD salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific 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 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Hagerstown MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Hagerstown MD employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check 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 is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Hagerstown MD?

Perhaps you live in the Hagerstown 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.

Hagerstown, Maryland

Hagerstown /ˈheɪɡərztaʊn/[5] is a city in Washington County, Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County.[6] The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the Hagerstown-Martinsburg Metropolitan Area (extending into West Virginia) was 269,140. Hagerstown ranks as Maryland's sixth largest incorporated city.[7]

Hagerstown has a distinct topography, formed by stone ridges running from northeast to southwest through the center of town. Geography accordingly bounds its neighborhoods. These ridges consist of upper Stonehenge limestone. Many of the older buildings were built from this stone, which is easily quarried and dressed onsite. It whitens in weathering and the edgewise conglomerate and wavy laminae become distinctly visible, giving a handsome and uniquely “Cumberland Valley” appearance. Several of Hagerstown’s churches are constructed of Stonehenge limestone and its value and beauty as building rock may be seen particularly in St. John’s Episcopal Church on West Antietam Street and the Presbyterian Church at the corner of Washington and Prospect Streets. Brick and concrete eventually displaced this native stone in the construction process.[8]

Hagerstown anchors the Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which lies just northwest of the Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV Combined Statistical Area in the heart of the Great Appalachian Valley. The population of the metropolitan area in 2010 was 269,140. Greater Hagerstown is the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the state of Maryland and among the fastest growing in the United States.[9]

Select the Right Esthetician Program near Hagerstown MD

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Hagerstown MD.