Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Benson MD

How to Select a Beauty School near Benson Maryland

nail technicians training at Benson MD beauty school Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Benson MD, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled 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 further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Benson residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Benson MD makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Benson MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

Benson MD hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two pathways available 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 typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Benson MD business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Cosmetology Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in Benson MD Online cosmetology programs are advantageous for Benson MD students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume 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 imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs

Questions to ask Benson MD beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Benson MD home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 21018 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Benson MD businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Benson MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. 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 grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific 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 select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a hair salon in Benson MD, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Benson MD businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Benson MD?

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

Maryland Route 147

Maryland Route 147 (MD 147) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Harford Road, the state highway runs 18.81 miles (30.27 km) from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) and US 40 Truck in Baltimore north to US 1 and US 1 Business in Benson. MD 147 is an alternate route to US 1 between Baltimore and Bel Air, the county seat of Harford County. The state highway is the main street of several neighborhoods in Northeast Baltimore and the Baltimore County suburbs of Parkville and Carney. MD 147 is maintained by the Maryland State Highway Administration in Baltimore and Harford counties and by the Baltimore City Department of Transportation within the city. Harford Road was a pair of turnpikes before the Baltimore–Carney portion of the highway was designated one of the original state roads. The Baltimore County section of MD 147 was constructed in the early 1910s and widened multiple times in the late 1920s and 1930s. The section of the state highway in Harford County was built in the late 1920s.

MD 147 begins at an intersection with US 1 and US 40 Truck (North Avenue) in Baltimore. The south leg of the intersection is one-way northbound Harford Avenue; southbound Harford Avenue toward Downtown Baltimore is accessed via southbound Aisquith a few blocks to the west. MD 147 heads northeast from US 1 as a five-lane road (three lanes northbound and two lanes southbound) that crosses over CSX's Baltimore Terminal Subdivision. Upon crossing 25th Street, the state highway widens to a six-lane divided street, passing west of Achievement Academy at Harbor City High School and along the western edge of Clifton Park. As it does so, it meets the southern ends of MD 542 (The Alameda) and MD 41 (Hillen Road). Within the Mayfield neighborhood, MD 147 narrows to four lanes undivided and passes by Lake Montebello and through Herring Run Park, where the highway crosses the namesake stream. Beyond Argonne/Parkside Drive, the state highway dualizes once again and gains a northbound parking lane, with one southbound lane doubling as a parking lane, as it then passes through Lauraville, where the highway intersects Cold Spring Lane and Moravia Road. Becoming undivided once again, MD 147 widens to accommodate two full-time parking lanes at Echodale Avenue before intersecting the southern end of Old Harford Road and then Northern Parkway in Hamilton.[1][3] Upon entering Baltimore County, the parking lanes close, and MD 147 continues as the main street of Parkville, narrowing further to two traffic lanes and two bike lanes just north of Taylor Avenue. The state highway widens once again to four lanes just before Putty Hill Avenue and meets Interstate 695 (Baltimore Beltway) at a cloverleaf interchange.[2][3]

Outside of the Beltway, MD 147 gains a center turn lane through its intersection with Joppa Road in Carney, north of which the road reduces to two lanes. North of Cub Hill Road in the community of Cub Hill, the state highway exits the suburban area and enters Gunpowder Falls State Park. MD 147 makes a curvaceous descent into the Gunpowder Falls valley and, after crossing a bridge and making a sharp curve to the southeast, parallels Gunpowder Falls for a short distance before turning northeast again and away from the stream. After a curvaceous ascent from the river valley, the roadway straightens out to pass through farmland with scattered subdivisions. MD 147 crosses Long Green Creek and has a sharp S-curve around a hill before intersecting Glen Arm Road. The state highway continues through the community of Fork, at the center of which the highway meets Fork Road and Sunshine Avenue. East of Fork, MD 147 descends into the valley of Little Gunpowder Falls, which forms the Baltimore–Harford county line. The state highway continues northeast and crosses Rocky Branch before its intersection with MD 152 (Fallston Road). MD 147 heads into the community of Benson, the site of its northern terminus at a four-way intersection with US 1 and US 1 Business. US 1 heads north as the Bel Air Bypass and south as Belair Road, while US 1 Business heads east on Belair Road into the town of Bel Air.[2][3]

Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Benson MD

Benson MD barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. 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 responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Benson MD.