How to Pick a Beauty College near Athens Maine
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Athens ME, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Athens residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Athens ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two options available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 12 to 18 months to complete, 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. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance 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 Athens ME business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Athens ME students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that 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 courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. 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 Beauty Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Athens ME home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 04912 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Athens ME 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 cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Athens ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Athens ME, 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 provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s important that she or he gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Athens ME businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Athens ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Athens ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Athens, Maine
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,019 people, 391 households, and 270 families residing in the town. The population density was 23.4 inhabitants per square mile (9.0/km2). There were 577 housing units at an average density of 13.2 per square mile (5.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.4% White, 0.2% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.
There were 391 households of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.9% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.
The median age in the town was 40.4 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 29.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.
Select the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Athens ME
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce 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 start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Athens ME.
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