How to Choose a Beauty College near North Yarmouth Maine
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near North Yarmouth ME, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. 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 titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your North Yarmouth home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive 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 may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only North Yarmouth ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in most states working 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. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two pathways available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other North Yarmouth ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Beauty Classes
Online beauty programs are advantageous for North Yarmouth ME students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you select 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 portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Programs
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your North Yarmouth ME home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 04097 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of North Yarmouth ME employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with North Yarmouth ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may 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 complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in North Yarmouth ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct 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 Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that he or she gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with North Yarmouth ME businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at 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 affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near North Yarmouth ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater North Yarmouth ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
North Yarmouth, Maine
North Yarmouth, officially the Town of North Yarmouth, is a town in Cumberland County, Maine. The population was 3,565 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.41 square miles (55.45 km2), of which, 21.22 square miles (54.96 km2) of it is land and 0.19 square miles (0.49 km2) is water.[1]
The area embracing North Yarmouth, first settled in 1636, was abandoned twice before successful final settlement in 1713. In 1646, William Royall purchased a farm on the river that, since, has borne his name. John Cousins, a few years previous, occupied a neck of land between branches of a stream and owned an island, both now bearing his name. These settlements were established in the vicinity, called by the Wabanakis, as “Wescustogo”. Yarmouth originally constituted the eastern portion of North Yarmouth; the “North” in the name intended to differentiate it from Yarmouth, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod (Maine was then a part of Massachusetts). North Yarmouth was chartered on September 22, 1680, encompassing the area of the present Town of North Yarmouth and the future towns of Harpswell (until 1750), Freeport (until 1789), Pownal (until 1808, from Freeport), Cumberland (until 1821), and Yarmouth (until 1849).
Find the Right Beauty Program near North Yarmouth ME
Finding and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize 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 start 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 profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in North Yarmouth ME.
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