Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools North Berwick ME

How to Find the Right Cosmetologist College near North Berwick Maine

nail technicians training at North Berwick ME beauty school Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near North Berwick ME, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your North Berwick residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when analyzing 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 discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

North Berwick ME makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only North Berwick ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences 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 mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

North Berwick ME hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially 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 usually 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other North Berwick ME business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Beauty Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in North Berwick ME Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for North Berwick ME students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through 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 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant 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 many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Training Programs

Questions to ask North Berwick ME beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your North Berwick ME home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology college you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 03906 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 North Berwick ME employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with North Berwick ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden 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 start a hair salon in North Berwick ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that he or she gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with North Berwick ME businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near North Berwick ME?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater North Berwick ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

North Berwick, Maine

Originally a part of Kittery called Kittery Commons, the area was first settled in 1693 by John Morrell, a Quaker who built a log cabin on Wells Street. It was set off from Kittery in 1713 as part of Berwick, named for Berwick-upon-Tweed on the Anglo-Scottish border. Doughty Falls in the Great Works River provided water power for a sawmill, gristmill and carding mill. After the Revolutionary War, the small mill town grew rapidly. It was set off and incorporated as North Berwick on March 22, 1831.[2][6] The town was named after Berwick, England.[7]

Development was spurred in 1842 by the arrival of the Portland, Saco & Portsmouth Railroad, joined by the Boston & Maine Railroad in 1873. North Berwick became a railroad hub from which its manufactured goods were shipped, including lumber, shingles, clapboards, wooden boxes, firewood, bricks, carriages, caskets, clocks, stove and shoe polish, toboggans and sleds. Also loaded aboard the boxcars were barrels of apples, blocks of ice cut from frozen ponds, granite from quarries, and tins of corn packed at a canning factory. But the 2 biggest North Berwick businesses during the 19th-century made woolens and farm implements.[8]

In 1834, the Maine Legislature incorporated Lang, Hill & Company to manufacture woolen blankets, called "printing blankets," at a mill beside the Great Works River. Renamed the North Berwick Company, by 1850 its principal owner was "Friend" William Hill, who trained as a machinist at the Great Falls Manufacturing Company in Somersworth, New Hampshire. The wooden mill was destroyed by fire in 1861, but rebuilt in brick in 1862. It produced blankets for Civil War troops. The factory had 40 looms turning out 1,500 yards of flannel daily, in addition to blankets. In 1955, the North Berwick Company would close. Its landmark Greek Revival building was used as the Parrish Shoes factory in the 1995 movie Jumanji, and has since been renovated and adapted as housing.[9]

Find the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near North Berwick ME

North Berwick ME barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in North Berwick ME.