How to Select a Cosmetology College near Westbrook Maine
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Westbrook ME, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Westbrook home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding 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 training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Westbrook ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two options available to receive 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 generally require 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 available if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Westbrook ME business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Westbrook ME students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Westbrook ME residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 04092 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 Westbrook ME employers 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? Every beauty college 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 endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Westbrook ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Westbrook ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Westbrook ME employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify 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 offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Westbrook ME?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Westbrook ME area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Westbrook, Maine
Westbrook is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States and a suburb of Portland. The population was 17,494 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.
Originally known as Saccarappa after Saccarappa Falls on the Presumpscot River, it was a part of Falmouth until February 14, 1814, when it was set off and incorporated as Stroudwater. It soon changed its name to Westbrook after Colonel Thomas Westbrook, a commander during Father Rale's War and King's mast agent who was an early settler and mill operator.[4] In 1871, Saccarappa amicably split into two municipalities; the current Westbrook and Deering, which was then annexed by Portland in 1898.[5] In 1891, Westbrook was incorporated as a city.[6]
Saccarappa Falls and Congin Falls provided water power for early mills within the city. In 1829, a sawmill was built at the former which made the mill town noted for its lumber. Other industries followed, manufacturing grain bags, machinery and water wheels, carriage and harness, boots, shoes and moccasins, tinware, leather board, bricks, wooden boxes, box shook, meal and flour. The Portland Manufacturing Company built a cotton textile mill at Saccarappa Falls for making "sheetings, stripes and ducks." A paper mill was built at Cumberland Mills, once an Indian planting ground known as Ammoncongin. By 1859, it produced 1,000 tons of paper annually. In 1867, the factory's name would change to the S. D. Warren Paper Mill.[7]
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Westbrook ME
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Westbrook ME.
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