Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools College Park MD

How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist School near College Park Maryland

nail technicians training at College Park MD beauty schoolOnce you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near College Park MD, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear 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 type of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your College Park home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

College Park MD makeup ar4tist applying makeupCosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only College Park MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering 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

College Park MD hairdresser cutting hairThere are basically two pathways available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on 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 run a salon or other College Park MD business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Cosmetologist Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in College Park MDOnline beauty programs are convenient for College Park MD students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Training Programs

Questions to ask College Park MD beauty schoolsFollowing is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your College Park MD home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary 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 every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 20740 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many College Park MD employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with College Park MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in College Park MD, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that she or he receives assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with College Park MD businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near College Park MD?

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

College Park, Maryland

The City of College Park is in Prince George's County, Maryland[5] and is about 4 miles (6.4 km) from the northeast border of Washington, D.C. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 United States Census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the National Archives at College Park, a facility of the U.S. National Archives, as well as to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Weather and Climate Prediction (NCWCP).[6]

College Park was developed beginning in 1889 near the Maryland Agricultural College (later the University of Maryland) and the College Station stop of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The suburb was incorporated in 1945 and included the subdivisions of College Park, Lakeland, Berwyn, Oak Spring, Branchville, Daniel's Park, and Hollywood.

The original College Park subdivision was first plotted in 1872 by Eugene Campbell. The area remained undeveloped and was re-platted in 1889 by John O. Johnson and Samuel Curriden, Washington real estate developers. The original 125-acre (0.51 km2) tract was divided into a grid-street pattern with long, narrow building lots, with a standard lot size of 50 feet (15 m) by 200 feet (61 m). College Park developed rapidly, catering to those who were seeking to escape the crowded Washington, D.C., as well as to a rapidly expanding staff of college faculty and employees.

Pick the Right Beauty Vocational School near College Park MD

College Park MD barber blow drying client's hairPicking and enrolling in the right beauty program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in College Park MD.

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