How to Choose a Beauty School near Norway Maine
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Norway ME, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Norway residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most 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. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Norway ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two pathways offered to get 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 usually take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Norway ME business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties 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. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online beauty schools are accommodating for Norway ME students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many courses 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 dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Norway ME home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 04268 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Norway ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Norway ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a hair salon in Norway ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Norway ME businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Norway ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Norway ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Norway, Maine
The town was first called Rustfield after Henry Rust of Salem, Massachusetts, a large landowner. It was cleared and settled after 1786 by Joseph Stevens, followed by George Leslie, Amos Hobbs, Jeremiah Hobbs, Jonas Stevens and Nathaniel Stevens, together with their families from Gray. Many who moved here had been soldiers in the Revolutionary War, including Phineas Whitney, who fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. A sawmill and gristmill were established in 1789, and in 1796, the first road was built. Rustfield Plantation was incorporated on March 9, 1797, as Norway.[4] The town had petitioned the Massachusetts General Court to be named Norage, which is Native American for falls. Why it was changed is unknown—fire destroyed the town records in 1843.[5] During the Civil War, Norway and other municipalities in Oxford County provided a militia company to the 1st Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment under the command of George Lafayette Beal, who would later rise to the rank of major general and serve as State Treasurer from 1888 to 1894.
The town had fertile soil for cultivation. The Pennesseewassee Stream, which drains Lake Pennesseewassee into the Little Androscoggin River, provided water power for industry. At the falls were established two grain mills, a cloth and carding mill, furniture factory, box factory and a shovel handle factory. There was a tannery, with other businesses making harness and trunks. A shoe manufactory was established in 1872. The busy stage route from Paris, the county seat, to Fryeburg passed through Norway. By 1878, there were 32 stores in the town, which for a number of years had the fastest growing population of any similar town in the state.[6] On December 30, 1879, the Norway Branch Railroad opened, running from Norway village on a line 1.45 miles (2.3 kilometers) long to connect with the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad (later Grand Trunk Railroad) at South Paris.[7] But the Great Norway Fire of May 9, 1894, would destroy a substantial portion of the business district. Started in the C. B. Cummings & Sons mill, it was spread by a strong wind down Main Street. The opera house, Congregational Church, tannery, and 80 homes and other buildings were lost. Much of Norway was rebuilt the same year, with several structures in brick.[8]
Norway was once called the "Snowshoe Capital of the World" because of the many snowshoes manufactured here. In 1906, Walter Tubbs established the Tubbs Snowshoe Company to produce ash snowshoes, skis, sleds and furniture. W.F Tubbs supplied the polar expeditions of Byrd and Peary.[9] In the early 1930s, the Tubbs Company moved to Vermont, and in 2004, it was bought by K2 Sports. The Tubbs snowshoes are now made at a factory in Guangzhou, China.[10] With the exit of the Tubbs Company, another snowshoe company, SnoCraft Inc. was opened in the old Tubbs factory. The firm made 70% of the snowshoes ordered by the U.S. government during World War II
Enroll in the Right Beauty Program near Norway ME
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Norway ME.
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