How to Find the Right Cosmetologist School near Belgrade Maine
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Belgrade ME, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast 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 bit more concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Belgrade residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the best option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded 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 look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Belgrade ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting 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 be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
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 typically require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Belgrade ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Schools
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Belgrade ME students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Belgrade ME residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 04917 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Belgrade ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any beauty institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent 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 referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Belgrade ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in Belgrade ME, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Belgrade ME employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of 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 expense, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Belgrade ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Belgrade ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Belgrade, Maine
Belgrade is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,189 at the 2010 census. Belgrade's population, however, approximately doubles during the summer months as part-year residents return to seasonal camps located on the shores of Great Pond, Long Pond and Messalonskee Lake. Belgrade includes the villages of North Belgrade, Belgrade Depot and Belgrade Lakes (or The Village). Belgrade is included in the Augusta, Maine micropolitan New England City and Town Area.
The land was originally owned by the Plymouth Company, from which inhabitants obtained their titles. Called Washington Plantation, it was first settled in 1774 by Philip Snow from New Hampshire. On February 3, 1796, it was incorporated as Belgrade, named after Belgrade, Serbia. The surface of the town is uneven, much of it covered by water in the form of a connected chain of lakes. The largest lake is Great Pond, which dominates the town. Agriculture became the chief occupation of the inhabitants, with potatoes the principal crop.[4]
Outlets of the ponds provided water power for mills. In 1859, there was a shovel factory and spool factory, as well as several sawmills and gristmills. By 1886, there were also factories that made rakes, shingles, excelsior, scythes and boxes. With the arrival of the railroad, Belgrade developed into a tourist resort of fishing, boating and lakeside cottages.[5] The Belgrade Hotel, designed by noted Portland architect John Calvin Stevens, was built at Belgrade Lakes. The town was an annual summertime destination for the writers E.B. White and Ernest Thompson. The latter's sojourns at Great Pond inspired his 1979 play On Golden Pond, which was made into the Academy Award–winning 1981 movie, On Golden Pond. Belgrade Lake is central to the short story Once More to the Lake by E.B.White.
Choose the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Belgrade ME
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. 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 right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Belgrade ME.
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