How to Choose the Right Esthetics School near North Berwick Maine
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near North Berwick ME, the process begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your North Berwick residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only North Berwick ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Estheticians
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other North Berwick ME business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for North Berwick ME students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your North Berwick home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must 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 decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 03906 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of North Berwick ME employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional 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 placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with North Berwick ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Maine 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 desire is to start a North Berwick ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with North Berwick ME employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating 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 verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Esthetics Schools Near Me North Berwick Maine
Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make 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 beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Esthetics Schools Near Me and wanting more information on the topic Best Esthetics Training. However, if you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in North Berwick ME.
More Beauty Spots in North Berwick Maine
North Berwick, Maine
Originally a part of Kittery called Kittery Commons, the area was first settled in 1693 by John Morrell, a Quaker who built a log cabin on Wells Street. It was set off from Kittery in 1713 as part of Berwick, named for Berwick-upon-Tweed on the Anglo-Scottish border. Doughty Falls in the Great Works River provided water power for a sawmill, gristmill and carding mill. After the Revolutionary War, the small mill town grew rapidly. It was set off and incorporated as North Berwick on March 22, 1831.[2][6] The town was named after Berwick, England.[7]
Development was spurred in 1842 by the arrival of the Portland, Saco & Portsmouth Railroad, joined by the Boston & Maine Railroad in 1873. North Berwick became a railroad hub from which its manufactured goods were shipped, including lumber, shingles, clapboards, wooden boxes, firewood, bricks, carriages, caskets, clocks, stove and shoe polish, toboggans and sleds. Also loaded aboard the boxcars were barrels of apples, blocks of ice cut from frozen ponds, granite from quarries, and tins of corn packed at a canning factory. But the 2 biggest North Berwick businesses during the 19th-century made woolens and farm implements.[8]
In 1834, the Maine Legislature incorporated Lang, Hill & Company to manufacture woolen blankets, called "printing blankets," at a mill beside the Great Works River. Renamed the North Berwick Company, by 1850 its principal owner was "Friend" William Hill, who trained as a machinist at the Great Falls Manufacturing Company in Somersworth, New Hampshire. The wooden mill was destroyed by fire in 1861 but rebuilt in brick in 1862. It produced blankets for Civil War troops. The factory had 40 looms turning out 1,500 yards of flannel daily, in addition to blankets. In 1955, the North Berwick Company would close. Its landmark Greek Revival building was used as the Parrish Shoes factory in the 1995 movie Jumanji, and has since been renovated and adapted as housing.[9]
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