How to Select a Beauty College near Farmington Maine
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Farmington ME, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Farmington residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about 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 an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Farmington ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, launch 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 have many professional names 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 stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others 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 get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue 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. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Farmington ME business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Farmington ME students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Farmington ME residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 04938 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Farmington ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional 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 placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Farmington ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 dream is to launch a hair salon in Farmington ME, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Farmington ME businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Farmington ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Farmington 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]
Pick the Right Beauty College near Farmington ME
Locating and enrolling in the right beauty college is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible 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 address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when 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 Farmington ME.
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