Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools New Gloucester ME

How to Choose a Beauty College near New Gloucester Maine

nail technicians training at New Gloucester ME beauty school Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near New Gloucester ME, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your New Gloucester home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications 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 discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

New Gloucester ME makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances 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 environments include not only New Gloucester ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

New Gloucester ME hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other New Gloucester ME business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Cosmetologist Training

student attending cosmetology school online in New Gloucester ME Online beauty schools are advantageous for New Gloucester ME students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Classes

Questions to ask New Gloucester ME beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your New Gloucester ME residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 04260 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 New Gloucester ME employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with New Gloucester ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance 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 specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in New Gloucester ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with New Gloucester ME businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near New Gloucester ME?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater New Gloucester ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

New Gloucester, Maine

New Gloucester is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, in the United States. It is home to the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, the last active Shaker village in the U.S. The town's population was 5,542 at the 2010 census.[5]

New Gloucester was established under a grant from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1736, the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony granted a 6-square-mile (16 km2) tract of land in the Maine Territory to sixty inhabitants of the Gloucester fishing village on Cape Ann. The first settlers followed the road newly bushed out from North Yarmouth and built cabins on Harris Hill between 1739 and 1742. The settlement was abandoned from 1744-1751 due to the heightened Indian attacks during King George's War.[6]

Settlers returned and in 1753 commenced work on a two-story, fifty-foot square blockhouse with a palisade stockade 110 feet (34 m) on a side. This was home to twelve families for six years. The men worked at clearing the surrounding 60 acres (240,000 m2) of common land under the protection of two swivel guns manned by a garrison of six soldiers. One attack was made upon the fort, resulting in one scalping and two men captured. As the Indians gradually withdrew to Canada, the settlers moved out into their own newly built homes. The blockhouse continued to serve for worship and town affairs until the first meetinghouse was built in 1773. In 1788, the blockhouse was sold at auction for seven bushels of corn and moved to a farm in the intervale, where it was rebuilt as a hog house.[6]

Choose the Right Cosmetology Program near New Gloucester ME

New Gloucester ME barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin 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 right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in New Gloucester ME.