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How to Enroll In a Cosmetology College near Acton Maine

nail technicians training at Acton ME beauty school Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Acton ME, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused 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 speak a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Acton home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine 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 kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Acton ME makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Acton ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

Acton ME hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two options available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 trained in all 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 most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Acton ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Beauty Schools

student attending cosmetology school online in Acton ME Online beauty classes are accommodating for Acton ME students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous 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 frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, 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 important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Training Courses

Questions to ask Acton ME beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Acton ME home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 04001 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Acton ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Acton ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology 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 instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Acton ME, 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Acton ME businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Acton ME?

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

Acton, Maine

Acton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,447 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Acton, Miller Corner and South Acton. The town is home to the Acton Fairground, which holds the Acton Fair every late summer. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

It was part of the extensive Ossipee Tract sold on November 28, 1668, by Newichawannock Chief Captain Sunday (or Wesumbe) to Francis Small, a trader from Kittery. Small sold a half interest in the tract to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of Eliot. In 1770, heirs found the unrecorded deed and divided the land, with Shapleigh's descendants awarded one half of Limerick and all of Parsonsfield and Shapleigh. First called Hubbardstown Plantation, Shapleigh was in 1785 incorporated and named in honor of Nicholas Shapleigh. Its western portion was set off and incorporated on March 6, 1830, as Acton, named after Acton, England.[4]

The town was first settled at Acton village in 1776 by Benjamin Kimens, Clement Steele and John York, all from York. In 1779, Joseph Parsons built a gristmill on the Salmon Falls River near Wakefield, New Hampshire. Other mills followed at Acton's various water power sites, including sawmills, gristmills, a hemp mill, a carding mill, a felt mill, a tannery and a shoe factory. In 1877, a vein of silver was discovered near Goding Creek and the Lebanon border. Prospectors dug mines during the 1880s, after which the enterprise declined.[5]

Find the Right Cosmetology College near Acton ME

Acton ME barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented 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 self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Acton ME.