How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Riverdale MD

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Course near Riverdale Maryland

Riverdale MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Riverdale MD, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may 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 kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Riverdale residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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 types of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Riverdale MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Riverdale MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering 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 get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Riverdale MD esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to get 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 usually 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Riverdale MD business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Riverdale MD Online esthetician classes are convenient for Riverdale MD students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Riverdale MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Riverdale residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 20737 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Riverdale MD businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Riverdale MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with 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 Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Riverdale 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Riverdale MD businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Riverdale MD?

Perhaps you live in the Riverdale 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.

Riverdale Park, Maryland

Riverdale Park, formerly known and often referred to as Riverdale, Maryland is a semi-urban town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, a suburb in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.[5] The population was 6,956 as of 2010.[6]

Riverdale Park and the neighboring community of West Riverdale developed in the late 19th century as streetcar suburbs in central Prince George’s County. The town is located approximately seven miles northeast of downtown Washington, D.C., and is bounded to the north by East-West Highway. The area is also bisected by the heavily traveled Baltimore Avenue (U.S. Route 1). The city of College Park is located to the north, the town of University Park to the east across Baltimore Avenue, and Hyattsville is located to the south and southwest.

The area was first developed in 1801 when a Belgian aristocrat, Henri Joseph Stier, purchased 800 acres situated between two tributaries of the Anacostia River, known as the Paint and Northwest branches. Stier and his family moved to the United States several years earlier to escape the French Revolution (1788–1789). Upon purchase, he named his holdings Riversdale, and began constructing his residence that same year. The mansion was modeled after the Stier family’s Belgian home, Chateau du Mick, and when completed in 1807, the building stood as a two-story stuccoed-brick dwelling in the style of late Georgian architecture.

Select the Right Esthetics Training Program near Riverdale MD

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Riverdale MD.