Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Garrett Park MD

How to Select a Cosmetology College near Garrett Park Maryland

nail technicians training at Garrett Park MD beauty school Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Garrett Park MD, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Garrett Park residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

Garrett Park MD makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Garrett Park MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Garrett Park MD hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Garrett Park MD business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Beauty Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Garrett Park MD Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Garrett Park MD students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact 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 courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in local 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 obtain the skills required 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.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Schools

Questions to ask Garrett Park MD beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Garrett Park MD home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 20896 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Garrett Park MD businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Garrett Park MD salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Garrett Park MD, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Garrett Park MD businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Garrett Park MD?

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

Garrett Park, Maryland

Garrett Park is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland. It was named for a former president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Robert W. Garrett. The population was 992 at the 2010 census. Garrett Park is home to Garrett Park Elementary School, just outside the town proper.

Garrett Park was incorporated as a town in 1898, with sponsorship by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which in 1893 built a train station there.[5] The town lies along the former B&O railway corridor (now used by CSX, Amtrak, MARC) and was named for Robert W. Garrett, a former President of the B&O. It was a planned community from the beginning - when the land it was built on was purchased by a businessman named Henry W. Copp in 1886, he intended to build a suburban development reminiscent of an English village. Copp even went so far as to name the streets after locations in the novels of the English author Walter Scott, such as Kenilworth and Strathmore. He also limited commercial development, and even today there is only one store in the town. Builders were given reduced rates to transport workers and materials to the town site, and new residents were given free trips to move in. Rail suburbs did not catch on in the area, however, and the community stagnated somewhat as automobiles replaced trains and streetcars as the primary means of commuting. In the 1920s, another company built approximately 50 more houses, these with garages.[6] Much of the town is included in the Garrett Park Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.[7] Garrett Park Elementary School, designed in 1928 by prominent local architect Howard Wright Cutler, has been designated as an historic site by the Maryland Historical Trust.[8]

In May 1982 the townspeople of Garrett Park voted 245 to 46 to ban the production, transportation, storage, processing, disposal, or use of nuclear weapons within the town. This made Garrett Park the first nuclear-weapons free zone in the United States.[9]

Pick the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Garrett Park MD

Garrett Park MD barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate 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 compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Garrett Park MD.