How to Choose a Beauty School near Lebanon Maine
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Lebanon ME, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lebanon home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as 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 little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything 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 term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost 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 take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lebanon ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Lebanon ME business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for Lebanon ME students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lebanon ME residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 04027 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Lebanon ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lebanon ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, 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 looked into. And finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Lebanon ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s crucial that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Lebanon ME businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lebanon ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Lebanon ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Lebanon, Maine
Lebanon is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,031 at the 2010 census. Lebanon includes the villages of Center Lebanon, West Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon and East Lebanon. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Lebanon Airport is home to Skydive New England.
It was called Towwoh by the Newichawannock Abenaki tribe, whose main village was further down the Salmon Falls River. On April 20, 1733, the Massachusetts General Court granted Towwoh Plantation to 60 colonists, who first settled it in 1743. The township was incorporated on June 17, 1767, renamed Lebanon after the biblical land of Lebanon. It was Maine's 23rd town. Lebanon annexed unincorporated land in 1785, and some from Sanford in 1787. It swapped land with Shapleigh, giving some in 1793, then annexing some in 1825.[4]
Farmers found the surface of the town relatively level in the southeast, with extensive pine plains in the northwest. The chief crop would be hay. At the Salmon Falls River and the Little River were water power sites for mills. Lebanon had four sawmills, three gristmills, a shingle mill, a wool carding mill and a tannery. In 1850, Oren B. Cheney founded West Lebanon Academy. Beginning in the early 1870s, the Portland and Rochester Railroad ran the length of the town's southeast side, with the Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad crossing for a short distance on the western side.[5]
Select the Right Cosmetologist Program near Lebanon ME
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is important to get the appropriate 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. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin 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. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Lebanon ME.
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