How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Augusta ME

How to Select an Esthetician College near Augusta Maine

Augusta ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Augusta ME, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Augusta home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Augusta ME Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be 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 mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Augusta ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Augusta ME esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to get esthetician 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 require 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 want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Augusta ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Augusta ME Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Augusta ME students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Augusta ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Augusta residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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 program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 04330 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Augusta ME employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Augusta ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 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 objective 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 dream is to open a Augusta ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Augusta ME businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at 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 confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Augusta ME?

Perhaps you live in the Augusta Maine area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Augusta, Maine

The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-least populous state capital in the United States after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota, and the ninth-most populous city in Maine. Located on the Kennebec River at the head of tide, Augusta is home to the University of Maine at Augusta. Augusta is also the principal city in the Augusta-Waterville Micropolitan Statistical Area.

The area was first explored by the ill-fated Popham Colony in September 1607. It was first inhabited by English settlers from the Plymouth Colony in 1628 as a trading post on the Kennebec River. The settlement was known by its Indian name—Cushnoc (or Coussinoc or Koussinoc), meaning "head of the tide." Fur trading was at first profitable, but with Indian uprisings and declining revenues, the Plymouth Colony sold the Kennebec Patent in 1661. Cushnoc would remain unoccupied for the next 75 years.[6] This area was inhabited by the Kennebec Indians, a band of the larger Abenaki tribe. During the 17th century, they were on friendly terms with the English settlers in the region.[7][8]

A hotbed of Abenaki hostility toward British settlements was located further up the Kennebec at Norridgewock. In 1722, the tribe and its allies attacked Fort Richmond (now Richmond) and destroyed Brunswick. In response, Norridgewock was sacked in 1724 during Dummer's War, when English forces gained tentative control of the Kennebec. During the height of the French and Indian War, a blockhouse named Fort Western (now the oldest wooden fort in America), was built at Cushnoc on the eastern bank of the Kennebec River in 1754. It was intended as a supply depot for Fort Halifax upriver, as well as to protect its own region from French attack.[9] Later, during the American Revolutionary War Benedict Arnold and his 1,100 troops would use Fort Western as a staging area before continuing their journey up the Kennebec to the Battle of Quebec.

Pick the Right Esthetician School near Augusta ME

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Augusta ME.