How to Choose a Beauty School near East Boothbay Maine
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near East Boothbay ME, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your East Boothbay home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all 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. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only East Boothbay ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering 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 be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are primarily two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other East Boothbay ME business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online beauty classes are convenient for East Boothbay ME students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your East Boothbay ME home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices 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 some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 04544 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many East Boothbay ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with East Boothbay ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example 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 specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in East Boothbay ME, then you need 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 provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that he or she receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with East Boothbay ME employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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 Assistance Offered? Most cosmetology 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 identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to 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 except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near East Boothbay ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater East Boothbay ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Boothbay, Maine
Boothbay is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,120 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of East Boothbay and Trevett. The Boothbay region is a center of summer tourist activity, and a significant part of its population does not live there year-round.[4] Five shipyards are located in the town, the largest of which is Washburn & Doughty.[5]
The first European presence was a British fishing station on Cape Newagen in 1623. By the 1630s, there were a few families. Henry Curtis purchased from the sachem Mowhotiwormet (commonly known as Chief Robinhood) the right to settle here in 1666. The inhabitants fled in 1676 during King Philip's War and returned in 1677. In 1689 during King William's War, they were driven out again, and the village remained a desolate waste for 40 years.[6]
Colonel David Dunbar, governor of the Territory of Sagadahock, laid out a town in 1730 known as Townsend, and convinced about 40 families of Scots-Irish Presbyterians, largely from the north of Ireland, to settle here. Some were veterans of the Revolution of 1688. Named for Lord Charles Townshend, this settlement survived and was incorporated November 3, 1764. It was renamed Boothbay in 1842 after the hamlet of Boothby, which is located about a mile east of Welton le Marsh in Lincolnshire, England.[7]Southport was set off in 1842 and incorporated as a town, followed in 1889 by Boothbay Harbor.[8]
Pick the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near East Boothbay ME
Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in East Boothbay ME.
Other Beautiful Locations in Maine
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
