Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Burtonsville MD

How to Choose a Beauty School near Burtonsville Maryland

nail technicians training at Burtonsville MD beauty school Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Burtonsville MD, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. 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 basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding 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 Burtonsville residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

Burtonsville MD makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive 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 word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Burtonsville MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Burtonsville MD hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Burtonsville MD business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Beauty Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Burtonsville MD Online beauty classes are accommodating for Burtonsville MD students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick 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 part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools

Questions to ask Burtonsville MD beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Burtonsville MD residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet 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 available in 20866 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Burtonsville MD businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Burtonsville MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden 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 desire is to start a hair salon in Burtonsville MD, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that he or she receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Burtonsville MD employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Burtonsville MD?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Burtonsville MD area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Burtonsville, Maryland

In colonial times, the area was referred to as the Patuxent Hundred and later the Eastern Branch Hundred, a community comprising about 100 inhabitants. Prince George's County Court recorded that on September 27, 1699, Thomas Wells and Thomas Pindell were appointed to be the overseers of Patuxant Hundred.[1]

Among some of the earliest land grants are Maiden's Fancy, a 580-acre (2.3 km2) tract surveyed for Neal Clark in 1700, and Bear Bacon nearby, a 600-acre (2.4 km2) tract of land surveyed in 1703 for a Mark Richardson. Another prominent land holder was Richard Snowden, an iron master, who held various land patents in the area, including Snowdens Manor (surveyed 1715) consisting of an impressive 9,265 acres (37.49 km2) and Snowdens Mill (surveyed 1723) occupying an additional 546 acres (2.21 km2). From these larger tracts, among others, were carved smaller tracts of land which were either rented or sold off to planters and the like.[citation needed]

The community of Burtonsville, originally called Burton's, takes its name from Isaac Burton, who in 1825 bought out his siblings' shares of his father's land and became the major landowner in the area. He and his wife Keturah had 17 children, many of whom stayed in the area as adults. The community itself grew around the intersection of Old Columbia Pike and the road to Sandy Spring. In the 1850s Isaac Burton became the first postmaster of the newly established post office in the vicinity, which operated out of his store at the intersection. Burtonsville's core area today continues to center around the intersection of Maryland Route 198 and US Route 29.[2]

Pick the Right Cosmetologist Program near Burtonsville MD

Burtonsville MD barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget 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 information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Burtonsville MD.