How to Pick a Cosmetology College near Levant Maine
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Levant ME, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Levant residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Levant ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go 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 already stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are primarily two options offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Levant ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Beauty Programs
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Levant ME students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Degree Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Levant ME residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some 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 sure that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 04456 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Levant ME businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Levant ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full 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, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick 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 dream is to start a hair salon in Levant ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that he or she gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Levant ME businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Levant ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Levant ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Levant, Maine
Originally called "Kenduskeag Plantation", the town was founded in 1802 by Maj. Moses Hodsden who built three houses, a sawmill, a grist-mill, a store, and a blacksmith shop in what is now the village of Kenduskeag. At the time, these were likely the only framed buildings between Bangor and the Kennebec River. In 1813 the plantation became a town, and was given the name Levant, which is that part of the Middle East which borders the Mediterranean.
In 1852, the village of Kenduskeag broke away from the rest of Levant and took part of the neighboring town of Glenburn to form the present town of Kenduskeag. Prior to the break the town had 1,841 inhabitants.
In early 1824, Levant Congregational minister John Bovee Dods claimed that he was visited by a spirit, and his house subsequently became the site of poltergeist activity. Perhaps a hundred curious people were said to have visited and witnessed these events. Dods became a Universalist in 1826, and moved to nearby Union, though he continued to preach in Levant. He later moved to Massachusetts and became an early psychologist, publishing The Philosophy of Electrical Psychology in 1850, and lecturing widely. In 1856 he converted to spiritualism, and became a leading figure in that religion in New York City.[5]
Find the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Levant ME
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Levant ME.
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