How to Find the Right Beauty School near Ogunquit Maine
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Ogunquit ME, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Ogunquit home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application 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 really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Ogunquit ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering 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 Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two pathways 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 generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Ogunquit ME business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Ogunquit ME students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Ogunquit ME home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 03907 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Ogunquit ME businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Ogunquit ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden 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 intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in Ogunquit ME, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s crucial that she or he gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Ogunquit ME employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Ogunquit ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Ogunquit ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Ogunquit, Maine
Ogunquit, which means "beautiful place by the sea" in the indigenous Abenaki language, was first a village within Wells, which was settled in 1641. The first sawmill was established in 1686, and shipbuilding developed along the tidal Ogunquit River. Local shipwrights built schooners, brigs and dories.
At what was then called Fish Cove, near the unnavigable Josias River, fishing was a major livelihood. But the cove was unprotected by a headland or breakwater from Atlantic storms, so fishermen had to protect their boats by hauling them ashore each night. Resolving to create a safe anchorage, they formed the Fish Cove Harbor Association, and dug a channel across land they purchased to connect Fish Cove with the Josias River. When the trench was complete, erosion helped to further widen the passage. The resulting tidewater basin is called Perkins Cove, spanned by a manually operated draw footbridge. With a 3½-mile beach of pale sand and dunes forming a barrier peninsula, connected to the mainland in 1888 by bridge across the Ogunquit River, the village was discovered by artists. It became a popular art colony and tourist area. Particularly after 1898, when the Ogunquit Art Colony was established, it was not unusual to see both artists and fishermen working around Perkins Cove. To accommodate summer crowds, several seaside hotels and inns were built. Marginal Way, a scenic trail, runs along the coast from Perkins Cove to Ogunquit Beach.[4] Ogunquit separated from Wells in 1980 and receives visitors from as far as Australia. Part of Stephen King's The Stand, published in 1978, is set in Ogunquit. Ogunquit was named America's Best Coastal Small Town in USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice 2016.[5]
Ogunquit has become a destination for LGBT tourists, with numerous LGBT-owned and -operated hotels,[6] restaurants, bars, theaters, and other businesses. Most of the LGBT-oriented businesses are in the village area of the town.[6]
Select the Right Beauty Vocational School near Ogunquit ME
Finding and enrolling in the right beauty college is imperative to receive the necessary 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. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Ogunquit ME.
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