How to Choose a Cosmetology College near West Boothbay Harbor Maine
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near West Boothbay Harbor ME, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your West Boothbay Harbor residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only West Boothbay Harbor ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues 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 house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 certain states there is an exception. 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.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two pathways available to receive 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 normally 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other West Boothbay Harbor ME business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of 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 select in the next section.
Online Beauty Training
Online beauty classes are accommodating for West Boothbay Harbor ME students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your West Boothbay Harbor ME home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration 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 determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 04575 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of West Boothbay Harbor 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 institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with West Boothbay Harbor ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in West Boothbay Harbor ME, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses 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 academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with West Boothbay Harbor ME businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak 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 also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near West Boothbay Harbor ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater West Boothbay Harbor ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Boothbay, Maine
Boothbay is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,120 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of East Boothbay and Trevett. The Boothbay region is a center of summer tourist activity, and a significant part of its population does not live there year-round.[4] Five shipyards are located in the town, the largest of which is Washburn & Doughty.[5]
The first European presence was a British fishing station on Cape Newagen in 1623. By the 1630s, there were a few families. Henry Curtis purchased from the sachem Mowhotiwormet (commonly known as Chief Robinhood) the right to settle here in 1666. The inhabitants fled in 1676 during King Philip's War and returned in 1677. In 1689 during King William's War, they were driven out again, and the village remained a desolate waste for 40 years.[6]
Colonel David Dunbar, governor of the Territory of Sagadahock, laid out a town in 1730 known as Townsend, and convinced about 40 families of Scots-Irish Presbyterians, largely from the north of Ireland, to settle here. Some were veterans of the Revolution of 1688. Named for Lord Charles Townshend, this settlement survived and was incorporated November 3, 1764. It was renamed Boothbay in 1842 after the hamlet of Boothby, which is located about a mile east of Welton le Marsh in Lincolnshire, England.[7]Southport was set off in 1842 and incorporated as a town, followed in 1889 by Boothbay Harbor.[8]
Select the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near West Boothbay Harbor ME
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in West Boothbay Harbor ME.
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