Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Ellicott City MD

How to Enroll In a Beauty School near Ellicott City Maryland

nail technicians training at Ellicott City MD beauty school Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Ellicott City MD, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear 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 type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Ellicott City residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at 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

Ellicott City MD makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Ellicott City MD beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Ellicott City MD hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two pathways available to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Ellicott City MD business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Maryland Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Beauty Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Ellicott City MD Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Ellicott City MD students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Trade Schools

Questions to ask Ellicott City MD beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Ellicott City MD residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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 program. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 21041 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Ellicott City MD employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. 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, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Ellicott City MD salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 launch a hair salon in Ellicott City MD, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that she or he gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Ellicott City MD employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Ellicott City MD?

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

Ellicott City, Maryland

Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in, and the county seat of, Howard County, Maryland, United States.[3] Part of the Baltimore metropolitan area, its population was 65,834 at the 2010 census,[4] qualifying it as the largest unincorporated county seat in the country.

Ellicott City's historic downtown – the Ellicott City Historic District – lies in the valleys of the Tiber and Patapsco rivers. The historic district includes the Ellicott City Station, which is the oldest surviving train station in the United States, having been built in 1830 as the first terminus of the original B&O Railroad line. The historic district is often called "Historic Ellicott City" or "Old Ellicott City" to distinguish it from the surrounding suburbs that extend south to Columbia and west to West Friendship.

In 1766, James Hood used the "Maryland Mill Act of 1669" to condemn 20 acres (8.1 ha) for a mill site adjacent to his river-side 157-acre (64 ha) property. His gristmill was built on the banks of the Patapsco River where the Frederick road (later known as the National Road, then U.S. Route 40, then Maryland Route 144) crossed the river. The site was later known as "Ellicott's Upper Mills".[5]:7 His son Benjamin rebuilt the corn grinding mill after one of the frequent Patapsco floods in 1768. Benjamin Hood then sold the mill to Joseph Ellicott in 1774 for 1,700 pounds. In later years the B&O Railroad ran through the property, with track laid over the graves of the Hood family.[6]:23

Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist College near Ellicott City MD

Ellicott City MD barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Ellicott City MD.