How to Pick a Cosmetologist College near Farmington Falls Maine
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Farmington Falls ME, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Farmington Falls home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation 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. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Farmington Falls ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses 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 seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing 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. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two avenues available to obtain 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 take 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. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Farmington Falls ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.
Online Beauty Schools
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Farmington Falls ME students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Farmington Falls ME home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 04940 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Farmington Falls ME businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Farmington Falls ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Farmington Falls ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that he or she receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Farmington Falls ME employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out 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 might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Farmington Falls ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Farmington Falls ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Farmington, Maine
Farmington is a town in and the county seat of Franklin County, Maine, United States.[4] As of the 2010 census, the town population was 7,760. Farmington is home to the University of Maine at Farmington, the Nordica Memorial Auditorium, the Homestead, and the annual Farmington Fair.
The area was once territory of the Canibas tribe of Abenaki Indians. They had two camps located near Farmington Falls, with fields cleared for cultivation of maize and potatoes. Their fort's stockade enclosed about an acre at the center of what is today Farmington Falls village. A group from Topsham arrived in 1776 to explore the area and lay out a town, called Plantation No. 1 or Sandy River Plantation, but permanent settlement was delayed by the Revolutionary War.[5]
In 1781, the first settlers arrived, the same year a sawmill was established. On February 1, 1794, Sandy River Plantation was incorporated as Farmington, named for its unusually fertile soil. Beginning with a cluster of log houses at Farmington Falls, the town grew quickly and prospered. Agriculture was an important early occupation, with hay a principal product. Orchards yielded apples and other fruit. Farmington became one of the largest wool producing towns in New England, with many herds of sheep grazing the hills and intervales.[6]
Select the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Farmington Falls ME
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Farmington Falls ME.
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