How to Choose the Right Esthetician College near Bel Air Maryland
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bel Air MD, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Bel Air residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
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What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really 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, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Bel Air MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Estheticians
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two options offered to obtain 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 finish, 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 likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Bel Air MD business. More advanced 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 certain that it’s certified by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Bel Air MD students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bel Air residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 21014 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Bel Air MD businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Bel Air MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some 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 often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in 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 vision is to start a Bel Air 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he receives support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Bel Air MD employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check 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 as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Guide to Part Time Esthetician Training Bel Air Maryland
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the necessary 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 sure to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Guide to Part Time Esthetician Training and wanting more information on the topic Average Cost Of Esthetician School. However, if you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Bel Air MD.
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Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland
Bel Air's identity has gone through several incarnations since 1780. Aquilla Scott, who had inherited land known as "Scott's Improvement Enlarged," planned the town on a portion that he called "Scott's Old Fields." Four years later, the town had expanded as local politicians, merchants, and innkeepers purchased lots from Scott, and the county commissioners decided to change its name to the more appealing "Belle Aire." In his deeds, Scott dropped one letter, renaming the town, "Bell Aire." Around 1798, court records dropped two more letters, and "Bel Air" was born.
During this period, Bel Air began to rise in prominence. In 1782, just two years after its founding, it became Harford's county seat, and Daniel Scott (Aquilla's son) started building a courthouse on Main Street. Although the town limits in the late 18th century encompassed nothing more than the two sides of Main Street, the days following the Civil War saw a building and land-development boom that remains in full swing to this day.
Originally known as "Scott's Old Fields", Bel Air was part of a land grant issued to Daniel Scott in 1731. In March 1782 "Belle Aire" was designated the county seat of Harford County. At the turn of the twentieth century the "e" was dropped and the second "l" and its companion "e" gave way a few years later. The town's incorporation was effective in 1874. The town began with just 42 lots along Main Street centering on the Court House and the county jail and sheriff's house. Over the years, the population grew slowly to about 200 residents by 1865. The introduction of the canning industry, the Ma & Pa railroad and related financial businesses jump started the growth after the Civil War. Although the town experienced periods of rapid growth followed by extremely slow growth over the next century, Bel Air's role as the center of government and commerce continued to expand.
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