How to Pick a Cosmetology School near Windham Maine
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Windham ME, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. 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 pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Windham home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Windham ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, 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. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Windham ME business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Windham ME students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Degree Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Windham ME home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you select 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 04062 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Windham ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Windham ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 launch a hair salon in Windham ME, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that he or she gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Windham ME businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out 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 Offered? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Windham ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Windham ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Windham, Maine
Windham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 17,001 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of South Windham and North Windham. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The township was granted in 1734 by the Massachusetts General Court to Abraham Howard, Joseph Blaney and 58 others from Marblehead, Massachusetts. In 1737, New Marblehead Plantation was settled by Captain Thomas Chute. By order of the Massachusetts General Court, a fort was built in spring of 1744 on a hill in the southern part of town near the early center of settlement to offer protection during King George's War. A 50-foot square blockhouse constructed of 12-inch thick hewn hemlock had an overhanging second story with firing ports and two swivel guns in watch posts on diagonal corners. The blockhouse was surrounded by a stockade wall of 12-inch diameter log posts 16 feet long. The single gate through the stockade wall was covered by a 4.2-inch (11 cm) bore 9-pounder cannon within the blockhouse.[4]
The town's inhabitants took shelter in the stockade between 1745 and 1751. The last Indian attack on the town occurred on May 14, 1756. New Marblehead Plantation was incorporated on June 12, 1762 as Windham, named for Wymondham in Norfolk, England.[5] Windham Minutemen marched to Portland in response to the Burning of Falmouth on 18 October 1775 and sixteen men were drafted from the town for the Penobscot Expedition. Thirteen Windham men are reported as being members of the Continental Army with George Washington's American Revolutionary War winter encampment at Valley Forge.[4] Windham's 9-pounder cannon and one swivel gun from the stockade blockhouse were loaned to Portland in 1775. Portland had refused to surrender these guns to Captain Henry Mowat as he demanded before he burned the town; and they were placed aboard the privateer Reprieve in 1776.[6]
Pick the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Windham ME
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Windham ME.
Other Beautiful Locations in Maine
Business Results 1 - 10 of 3
3 Reviews 
8 Reviews 
3 Reviews 