How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Oxon Hill MD

How to Pick an Esthetician College near Oxon Hill Maryland

Oxon Hill MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Oxon Hill MD, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oxon Hill residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Oxon Hill MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many 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 appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Oxon Hill MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting 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 Certificates and Degrees

Oxon Hill MD esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Oxon Hill MD business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified 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 decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Oxon Hill MD Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Oxon Hill MD students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many programs 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 many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible 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 school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

Oxon Hill MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Oxon Hill residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. 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 training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 20745 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Oxon Hill MD businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Oxon Hill MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed 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, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Oxon Hill MD beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Oxon Hill MD businesses that are looking 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 affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Oxon Hill MD?

Perhaps you live in the Oxon Hill 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.

Oxon Hill, Maryland

Oxon Hill is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in southern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.[1] Oxon Hill is a suburb of Washington, D.C., located southeast of the downtown district and east of Alexandria, Virginia. It contains the new 300-acre (120 ha) National Harbor development on the shore of the Potomac River.

For the 1990 and 2000 censuses, United States Census Bureau defined a census-designated place consisting of Oxon Hill and the adjacent community of Glassmanor, designated Oxon Hill-Glassmanor, for statistical purposes. As of the 2010 census Oxon Hill was delineated separately and had a population of 17,722.[2]

Oxon Hill was named for the colonial 18th century manor home of Thomas Addison (which burned in 1895 but was replaced in 1929 by a large 49-room neo-Georgian-style home called Oxon Hill Manor, standing on a bluff over the Potomac River). The current Manor is now owned by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and is used for cultural activities, as well as being rented for weddings and special events. "Oxon" is an abbreviation for the Latin Oxoniensis, meaning "of Oxford." The area now known as Oxon Hill reminded Addison of the area near Oxford, England.[5] The Revolutionary patriot John Hanson died while visiting the first Manor, and may be buried there in an unmarked grave.

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Oxon Hill MD

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the appropriate 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. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Oxon Hill MD.