How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Farmingdale Maine
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Farmingdale ME, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding 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 Farmingdale residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Farmingdale ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to 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 employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Farmingdale ME business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Beauty Training
Online beauty schools are accommodating for Farmingdale ME students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Farmingdale ME home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 04344 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Farmingdale 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? Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Farmingdale ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, 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. Finally, contact the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 commonly 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 goal 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 open a hair salon in Farmingdale ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that he or she gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Farmingdale ME employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Farmingdale ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Farmingdale ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Farmingdale, Maine
In 1852, Farmingdale incorporated as a town,[4] combining parts of South Hallowell, North Gardiner and East/West Gardiner. Many businesses existed in Farmingdale, most of them along the Kennebec River. A major business was harvesting and selling ice worldwide. The Knickerbocker Ice Company (the largest ice company in the country), and the Marshall Ice Company had ice-houses at Bowman's Point.[5] The Knickerbocker Ice Company burned in 1894 or 1895 leaving only the chimney that stood until it was demolished in 1911 to make room for the Central Maine Power Plant.[6] Other businesses on the river in Farmingdale included shipyards, brickyards, pottery, and a glue factory. Commercial growth in ensuing years centered in Gardiner, Hallowell and Augusta, while Farmingdale never developed a town center to compare with those cities. Time, fires, floods and economic forces eventually removed the larger businesses. Today, Farmingdale exists largely as a strong and vibrant residential community whose residents work primarily in other cities. The distinction between the densely developed riverbanks and the open rural back-land remains. Structures that are on the National Register of Historic Places include the Peter Grant House,[7] and the Captain Nathaniel Stone House.[8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.55 square miles (29.91 km2), of which, 11.24 square miles (29.11 km2) of it is land and 0.31 square miles (0.80 km2) is water.[1]
As of 2000 the median income for a household in the town was $51,344, and the median income for a family was $56,415. Males had a median income of $49,643 versus $29,391 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,015. About 18.8% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 0% of those age 65 or over.
Select the Right Beauty Program near Farmingdale ME
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Farmingdale ME.
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