How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Greenville Maine
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Greenville ME, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Greenville residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are various other factors 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 within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can 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 type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Greenville ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, 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 earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two pathways offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Greenville ME business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Courses
Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for Greenville ME students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Greenville ME residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school you select 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 04441 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Greenville ME employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Greenville ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 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 Greenville ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Greenville ME employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Greenville ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Greenville ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Greenville, Maine
Greenville is a town in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,646 at the 2010 census. The town is centered on the lower end of Moosehead Lake, the largest body of fresh water in the state. Greenville is the historic gateway to the north country and a center for outdoor recreation in the area. Greenville High School, with 89 students, was ranked as the third best high school in Maine and one of the top 1,000 in the US in 2010.[4]
First called T9 R10 NWP (or Township 9, Range 10, North of the Waldo Patent), the land was granted about 1812 by the Massachusetts General Court to Thornton Academy in Saco. In 1824, Nathaniel Haskell of Westbrook bought the Thornton Academy Grant. With Oliver Young and John Smith, he began clearing trees that summer for farming near Wilson Pond, where the Wilson Stream would provide water power for mills.[5]
In 1827, Haskell completed a house, and his family joined him. A sawmill was built on Wilson Stream in 1829, with a gristmill added the following year. In 1835, Henry Gower began clearing land beside Moosehead Lake for what would develop into Greenville village. There he erected the first hotel, a two-story building called The Seboomook House, and the first store. On February 6, 1836, Greenville was incorporated from Haskell Plantation, and named for its green forests. By 1846, Greenville village included two houses, two blacksmith shops and a schoolhouse. On August 10, 1848, the town annexed land from Wilson, the remainder of which was distributed to Shirley and Elliotsville.[5]
Pick the Right Cosmetology Program near Greenville ME
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize 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 school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Greenville ME.
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