How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Kensington MD

How to Select an Esthetician Training Program near Kensington Maryland

Kensington MD esthetician client with cucumber facialNow that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Kensington MD, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Kensington residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Kensington MDCosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Kensington MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, launch 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 go by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Kensington MD esthetician client with face maskThere are basically two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 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 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 feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Kensington MD business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Kensington MDOnline esthetician classes are convenient for Kensington MD students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Kensington MD models benefit from esthetic treatmentsBelow is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Kensington home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 20891 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Kensington MD businesses 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 college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Kensington MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Kensington MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Kensington MD businesses that are searching for skilled 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, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Kensington MD?

Perhaps you live in the Kensington 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.

Kensington, Maryland

The area around the Rock Creek basin where Kensington is located was primarily agricultural until 1873, when the B&O Railroad completed the Metropolitan Branch which traversed Montgomery County. A community arose where the new railroad line intersected the old Rockville-to-Bladensburg road. This early settlement was first known as Knowles Station. In the early 1890s, Washington, D.C. developer Brainard Warner began purchasing land parcels to build a planned Victorian community, complete with church, library and a local newspaper. Fascinated by a recent trip to London, Warner named his subdivision Kensington Park, the 10th and largest subdivision in the area which became the Town of Kensington. Upon incorporation in 1894, Warner convinced the Mayor and Council to name the town Kensington.[5] The historic core of Kensington was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as the Kensington Historic District in 1980.[6]

Originally a farming community at Knowles Station, Kensington developed into a summer refuge for Washington, D.C., residents wishing to escape the capital's humid summers. As years passed and its residents increasingly remained year round, Kensington evolved into a commuter suburb. The large southernmost section originally mapped out by Warner remains largely unchanged since inception, and is a historically preserved zone. Indeed, the only major changes in the town's basic layout have been the bridging over of the original railroad crossing in 1937, and the extension and widening of Connecticut Avenue, the town's main thoroughfare, in 1957.

In March 1975, Kensington gained attention regionally due to the disappearance of Sheila and Katherine Lyon. The sisters walked to Wheaton Plaza, a local shopping mall where they were seen by witnesses including their brother. However, they never returned home and the case remains unsolved.

Select the Right Esthetician Program near Kensington MD

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer 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 test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Kensington MD.

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