How to Choose a Beauty College near Belfast Maine
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Belfast ME, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Belfast home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing 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 discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Belfast ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
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 work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main 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 probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Belfast ME business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Belfast ME students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Belfast ME home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 04915 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Belfast ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional 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. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Belfast ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Belfast ME, 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? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s imperative that she or he receives help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Belfast ME businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations 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 respected 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 investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Belfast ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Belfast ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Belfast, Maine
Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Belfast Bay and Penobscot Bay. Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County.[4] The seaport has a wealth of antique architecture in several historic districts, and remains popular with tourists.
The area was once territory of the Penobscot tribe of Abenaki Native Americans, which each summer visited the seashore to hunt for fish, shellfish and seafowl. In 1630, it became part of the Muscongus Patent, which granted rights for English trading posts with the Native Americans, especially for the lucrative fur trade. About 1720, General Samuel Waldo of Boston bought the Muscongus Patent, which had evolved into outright ownership of the land, and was thereafter known as the Waldo Patent.[5]
Waldo died in 1759, and his heirs would sell the plantation of Passagassawakeag (named after its river) to 35 Scots-Irish proprietors from Londonderry, New Hampshire. Renamed Belfast after Belfast, Northern Ireland, it was first settled in 1770, and incorporated as a town in 1773. The village was mostly abandoned during the Revolution while British forces occupied Bagaduce (now Castine).[6] The British military burned Belfast in 1779, then held it for five days in September 1814 during the War of 1812.[7]
Find the Right Cosmetology School near Belfast ME
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Belfast ME.
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