How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Oldtown MD

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Oldtown Maryland

Oldtown MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Oldtown MD, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oldtown home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Oldtown MD Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Oldtown MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Oldtown 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) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Oldtown MD business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Oldtown MD Online esthetician schools are convenient for Oldtown MD students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short 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 are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Oldtown MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Oldtown home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 21555 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Oldtown MD employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references 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 regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Oldtown MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Oldtown MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Oldtown MD businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering 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 wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Oldtown MD?

Perhaps you live in the Oldtown 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.

Oldtown, Maryland

Oldtown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, along the North Branch Potomac River. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 86.[1]

It was founded in 18th century colonial times and was initially called "Shawanese Old Town" because it was the site of a Shawnee Amerindian village abandoned about a decade earlier. In later years the explanatory prefix was dropped from the name and the place because known simply as "Oldtown".[2] Oldtown was begun (on a soon to be busy road) with the building of a trading post along an old Native American trail, the Nemacolin Trail, as traders, especially fur traders (and trappers) pushed through the Cumberland Narrows mountain pass into the Monongahela River valley.

In 1741 Thomas Cresap established a trading post at the abandoned village. A few years earlier, Cresap had figured prominently in the Conejohela War, (also called Cresap's War) concerning the Conejohela Flats area of the Susquehanna River valley, later York County, Pennsylvania. Shortly after his release from prison in Pennsylvania for advocating Maryland's claims, Cresap moved west to the sparsely settled frontier. Lord Baltimore claimed lands at the headwaters of the Potomac River. The move positioned Cresap and his patron to open the as yet uncharted Ohio Country. Cresap and the Delaware chief Nemacolin opened a road westward under the auspices of the Virginia and Maryland speculators of the Ohio Company once they received a charter.

Find the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Oldtown MD

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect 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 good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Oldtown MD.