How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist School near Dover Foxcroft Maine
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Dover Foxcroft ME, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Dover Foxcroft home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate 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 within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Dover Foxcroft ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Dover Foxcroft 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. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Beauty Programs
Online beauty programs are accommodating for Dover Foxcroft ME students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional 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 large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Degree Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Dover Foxcroft ME home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely 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 options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 04426 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 Dover Foxcroft ME employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Dover Foxcroft ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, 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 thought of. And finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that specializes in 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 vision is to open a hair salon in Dover Foxcroft ME, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Dover Foxcroft ME employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Dover Foxcroft ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Dover Foxcroft ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Dover-Foxcroft, Maine
Dover-Foxcroft is the largest town in, and the seat of, Piscataquis County, Maine, United States.[4] The population was 4,213 at the 2010 census. Dover-Foxcroft is home to the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival, an annual one-day event which takes place in late June each year. It started in 2009 to honor the whoopie pie. The whoopie pie became the official state treat of Maine in 2013. The 2012 festival brought 5,000 people to the town[5] while the 2014 event brought in more than 7,500 attendees.[6]
Dover was purchased from Massachusetts by Boston merchants Charles Vaughan and John Merrick, both of whom had emigrated from England. It was first permanently settled in 1803 by Eli Towne from Temple, New Hampshire, then incorporated on January 19, 1822. Agriculture was the principal early occupation, producing potatoes, corn and grain.[7]
Originally known as T5 R7 NWP, Foxcroft was one of five towns conveyed by Massachusetts in 1796 to Bowdoin College. It was purchased from the college in 1800 by Joseph E. Foxcroft of New Gloucester and settled by John, Eleazer and Seth Spaulding in 1806, when they built the first mill. It was dubbed Spauldingtown until February 29, 1812, when it was incorporated as Foxcroft, taking its proprietor's name.[8][9]
Pick the Right Beauty Training Program near Dover Foxcroft ME
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data 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 excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Dover Foxcroft ME.
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