Aesthetician School Silver Spring MD

How to Choose the Right Cosmetology Academy near Silver Spring Maryland

Silver Spring MD wedding makeup artist with client Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Silver Spring MD, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Silver Spring home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Silver Spring MD hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use 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 term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Silver Spring MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

nail techs training at Silver Spring MD beauty school There are essentially two options offered to get cosmetology 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 commonly 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 available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Silver Spring MD business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Classes

student attending online beauty school in Silver Spring MD Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Silver Spring MD students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools

Questions to ask Silver Spring MD cosmetology schools Below is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Silver Spring MD residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable 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 recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections 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 considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 vision is to open a hair salon in Silver Spring MD, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting 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? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s crucial that she or he gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Silver Spring MD businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Silver Spring MD?

If you are considering attending Beauty School in Silver Spring MD or in a nearby area, following is some interesting and useful information regarding the location of your new school campus.

Silver Spring, Maryland

Silver Spring is an unincorporated community, large village, suburb of Washington, D.C., and census-designated place located inside the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 79,483, according to the 2017 official estimate by the United States Census Bureau,[3] making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown, and the second largest in Montgomery County after Germantown.[4] 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 (7.1 ha) 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.[5] 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.[6][7][8][9][10]

Silver Spring MD barber trimming hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Aesthetician School. So make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process 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 answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal 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 cosmetologist in Silver Spring MD.