Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Columbia MD

How to Find the Right Cosmetology School near Columbia Maryland

nail technicians training at Columbia MD beauty schoolOnce you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Columbia MD, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. 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 names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Columbia residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about 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 training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Columbia MD makeup ar4tist applying makeupCosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Columbia MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

Columbia MD hairdresser cutting hairThere are essentially two options 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 normally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 prefer to focus 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 manage a parlor or other Columbia MD business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Cosmetologist Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in Columbia MDOnline beauty programs are convenient for Columbia MD students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Degree Programs

Questions to ask Columbia MD beauty schoolsFollowing is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Columbia MD home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program 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 acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with 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 21044 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Columbia MD businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Every beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Columbia MD salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may 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 submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Columbia MD, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Columbia MD businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Columbia MD?

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

Columbia, Maryland

Columbia is a census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States, and is one of the principal cities of the Baltimore metropolitan area and the Washington metropolitan area. It is a planned community consisting of 10 self-contained villages. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, rather than merely economics and engineering. Opened in 1967, Columbia was intended to not only eliminate the inconveniences of then-current subdivision design, but also eliminate racial, religious and class segregation.[6][citation needed]

Columbia proper consists only of that territory governed by the Columbia Association, but larger areas are included under its name by the U.S. Postal Service and the Census Bureau. These include several other communities which predate Columbia, including Simpsonville, Atholton, and in the case of the census, part of Clarksville. The census-designated place had a population of 99,615 at the 2010 United States Census.[4] It is the second most populous community in Maryland after Baltimore.[8] More recent estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey put the population at approximately 103,467 as of 2015.[5]

Columbia was founded by James W. Rouse (1914-1996), a native of Easton, Maryland. In 1935, Rouse obtained a job in Baltimore with the Federal Housing Administration, a New Deal agency whose purpose was to promote home ownership and home construction. This position exposed Rouse to all phases of the housing industry.[9] Later in the 1930s he co-founded a Baltimore mortgage banking business. In the 1950s his company, by then known as James W. Rouse and Company, branched out into developing shopping centers and malls. In 1957 Rouse formed Community Research and Development, Inc. (CRD) for the purpose of building, owning and operating shopping centers throughout the country. Community Research and Development, Inc., which was managed by James W. Rouse and Company, became a publicly traded company in 1961. In 1966, Community Research and Development, Inc. changed its name to The Rouse Company, after it had acquired James W. Rouse and Company in exchange for company stock.[10][11]

Select the Right Beauty Vocational School near Columbia MD

Columbia MD barber blow drying client's hairLocating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Columbia MD.

Other Beautiful Locations in Maryland

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