Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Berwick ME

How to Pick a Beauty College near Berwick Maine

nail technicians training at Berwick ME beauty school Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Berwick ME, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Berwick residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Berwick ME makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Berwick ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

Berwick ME hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two pathways available to obtain cosmetology 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 normally require 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 concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Berwick ME business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Cosmetology Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in Berwick ME Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Berwick ME students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools

Questions to ask Berwick ME beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Berwick ME residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 03901 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Berwick 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 a Great Reputation? Each beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Berwick ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many 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, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 hair salon in Berwick ME, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as 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 furnish help maintain relationships with Berwick ME businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 Aid Offered? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Berwick ME?

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

Berwick, Maine

Originally part of Kittery, the area later comprised by Berwick was settled about 1631 and called Kittery Commons or Kittery North Parish. It was later called Unity after the ship that transported Scots prisoners of war from the Battle of Dunbar in 1650 to the colonies. These Scots had been force-marched to Durham Cathedral in Durham, England, then tried for treason for supporting Charles II rather than Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector.[5] Many settled near Berwick in an area near the northern Eliot-York border, which came to be known – and still is – as Scotland Bridge.[6]

Landing in Massachusetts, the royalist soldiers were sold as indentured servants, many of whom went to work at the Great Works sawmill, located on the Great Works River, until they were able to pay for their own freedom. (George Gray, formerly of Lanark, Scotland, was an example of the 150 prisoners who endured this ordeal. In 1675, he defended his family and lands when the community was attacked during King Philip's War, and died in Unity in 1693. His descendants would populate other areas of Maine, notably Deer Isle and Stonington, Maine).

The raid by Indians in 1675 was the first of several during what was known as King Philip's War. In 1690–1691 during King William's War, the village was burned and abandoned in the Raid on Salmon Falls. It was resettled in 1703 and called Newichawannock, its old Abenaki name. In 1713, it was incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court as Berwick, after Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. The first schoolhouse in the state was built here in 1719. The town was raided numerous times during Father Rale's War. Berwick was once considerably larger in size, but South Berwick was set off in 1814, followed by North Berwick in 1831. Lumbering was a principal early industry. The first lumber exported from the American colonies was clapbords and barrel staves loaded aboard Pied Cowe at South Berwick in 1634.[7] Beginning in the 19th century, Berwick had a symbiotic economic relationship with Somersworth, New Hampshire, the mill town to which it is connected by bridge.[8]

Select the Right Beauty School near Berwick ME

Berwick ME barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the right beauty college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce 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 begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Berwick ME.