How to Enroll In the Best Cosmetology School near Chevy Chase Maryland
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Chevy Chase MD, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction 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 further regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Chevy Chase home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example 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 talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
Start Your Career in Cosmetology By Requesting Your Free Information Below
What is Cosmetology
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 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 improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Chevy Chase MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Cosmetology Schools Near You!
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are basically two avenues offered 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 complete, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Chevy Chase 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. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Beauty Training
Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Chevy Chase MD students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Chevy Chase MD residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you pick 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). 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 typically are not available in 20815 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Chevy Chase MD employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Chevy Chase MD salon owners or managers, or someone 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 looked into. And last, 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 Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Chevy Chase MD, then you need 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 provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that he or she receives support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Chevy Chase MD employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered.
How To Choose A Beauty College Chevy Chase Maryland
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in How To Choose A Beauty College and learning more about the topic Beautician Training. So be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, 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 prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Chevy Chase MD.
Other Beautiful Maryland Locations
Chevy Chase, Maryland
Chevy Chase is the name of both a town and an unincorporated census-designated place (Chevy Chase (CDP), Maryland) that straddle the northwest border of Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland. Several settlements in the same area of Montgomery County and one neighborhood of Washington, D.C. include "Chevy Chase" in their names. These villages, the town, and the CDP share a common history and together form a larger community colloquially referred to as "Chevy Chase".
Primarily a residential suburb, Chevy Chase adjoins Friendship Heights, a popular shopping district. It includes the National 4-H Youth Conference Center, which hosts the National 4-H Conference, a prestigious event for 4-Hers throughout the nation to attend, and the National Science Bowl annually in either late April or early May.[1]
The name "Chevy Chase" is derived from "Cheivy Chace", the name of the land patented to Colonel Joseph Belt from Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore on July 10, 1725. It has historic associations to a 1388 battle between Lord Percy of England and Earl Douglas of Scotland, the subject of the ballad entitled "The Ballad of Chevy Chase". At issue in this "chevauchée" (a French word describing a border raid) were hunting grounds or a "chace" in the Cheviot Hills of Northumberland and Otterburn.[2]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 6600
43 Reviews 
97 Reviews 
87 Reviews 
90 Reviews 
42 Reviews 
22 Reviews 
100 Reviews 
87 Reviews 
36 Reviews 
3 Reviews 