How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Silver Spring MD

How to Choose an Esthetics School near Silver Spring Maryland

Silver Spring MD esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Silver Spring MD, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Silver Spring residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Silver Spring MD Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Silver Spring MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish 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 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 previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some 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, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Silver Spring MD esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Silver Spring MD business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s essential 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 reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Silver Spring MD Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Silver Spring MD students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet 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 Esthetics Programs

Silver Spring MD models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Silver Spring residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely 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 reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 20901 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Silver Spring MD employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check 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 agencies. If you have any relationships with Silver Spring MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, 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. And last, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific 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 choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Silver Spring 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that she or he gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Silver Spring MD employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check 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 qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies all 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 Silver Spring MD?

Perhaps you live in the Silver Spring 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.

Silver Spring, Maryland

Silver Spring is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located inside the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 76,716 according to 2013 estimates by the United States Census Bureau, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown, and the second largest in Montgomery County after Germantown.[2] Inner Silver Spring consists of the following neighborhoods: Downtown Silver Spring, East Silver Spring, Woodside, North Woodside, Woodside Park, North Hills Sligo Park, Long Branch, Montgomery Knolls, Franklin Knolls, Indian Spring Terrace, Indian Spring Village, Clifton Park Village, New Hampshire Estates, Oakview, and Woodmoor. Outer Silver Spring consist of the following neighborhoods: Four Corners, Wheaton, Glenmont, Forest Glen, Aspen Hill, Hillandale, White Oak, Colesville, Colesville Park, Cloverly, Calverton, Briggs Chaney, Greencastle, Northwood Park, Sunset Terrace, Fairland, Lyttonsville, and Kemp Mill.

The urbanized, oldest, and southernmost part of Silver Spring is a major business hub that lies at the north apex of Washington, D.C. As of 2004, the Central Business District (CBD) held 7,254,729 square feet (673,986 m2) of office space, 5216 dwelling units and 17.6 acres (71,000 m2) of parkland. The population density of this CBD area of Silver Spring was 15,600 per square mile all within 360 acres (1.5 km2) and approximately 2.5 square miles (6 km2) in the CBD/downtown area.[3] The community has recently undergone a significant renaissance, with the addition of major retail, residential, and office developments.

Silver Spring takes its name from a mica-flecked spring discovered there in 1840 by Francis Preston Blair, who subsequently bought much of the surrounding land. Acorn Park, tucked away in an area of south Silver Spring away from the main downtown area, is believed to be the site of the original spring.[4][5]

Find the Right Esthetics Training Program near Silver Spring MD

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper 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 Silver Spring MD.