How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Perryville MD

How to Find the Right Esthetician Program near Perryville Maryland

Perryville MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Perryville MD, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Perryville home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Perryville MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Perryville MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Perryville MD esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Perryville MD business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Perryville MD Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Perryville MD students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Perryville MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Perryville residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 21903 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Perryville MD employers 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 institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Perryville MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, 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 looked into. And last, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 desire is to launch a Perryville MD beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Perryville MD businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Perryville MD?

Perhaps you live in the Perryville 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.

Perryville, Maryland

Perryville is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,361 at the 2010 census. The town is located near an access for Interstate 95, on the north side of the outlet of the Susquehanna River.

Perryville was first settled during 1622 when Edward Palmer was granted a patent for a settlement on what is now Garrett Island. During the 17th century, Lord Baltimore granted George Talbot 31,000 acres (130 km2) of land which included the Perryville area. Before incorporation (1882), the settlement was known as Lower Ferry (circa 1695), Susquehanna (circa 18th century), and was finally named Perryville after Mary Perry, the wife of John Bateman.

During the Revolutionary War, Perryville served as a staging area for the Continental Army. Colonel John Rodgers (1728–1791), who operated the ferry and tavern in Perryville, raised the 5th Company of the Maryland Militia. This company became part of the famous Flying Corps and was instrumental during the early stages of the Revolutionary War. George Washington stopped frequently at Rodgers Tavern on his travels from Virginia to New York. Rodgers Tavern was listed on the National Register of Historic Places during 1972.[5] Colonel Rodgers' son, John Rodgers, was instrumental in suppressing the Tripolitan pirates in the Mediterranean Sea and was subsequently promoted to Commodore of the Mediterranean Squadron. Commodore Rodgers served with distinction during the War of 1812 and is known as the "Father of the American Navy."

Choose the Right Esthetics School near Perryville MD

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose 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 reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Perryville MD.