How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bar Mills ME

How to Enroll In an Esthetics College near Bar Mills Maine

Bar Mills ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bar Mills ME, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, 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 pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bar Mills residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bar Mills ME Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really 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 require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Bar Mills 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 customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Bar Mills ME esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Bar Mills ME business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Bar Mills ME Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Bar Mills ME students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Bar Mills ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bar Mills residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 04004 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 Bar Mills ME businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Bar Mills ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a Bar Mills ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Bar Mills ME employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bar Mills ME?

Perhaps you live in the Bar Mills 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.

Heather Mills

Mills came to public attention when she was a model in 1993 and was involved in a collision with a police motorcycle in London. The accident resulted in the amputation of her left leg below the knee, but she continued to model by using a prosthetic limb and sold her story to a tabloid newspaper.

Her relationship with Sir Paul McCartney brought further public attention in the year 2000.[2] They married in June 2002 and Mills gave birth to Beatrice Milly McCartney on 28 October 2003. The couple separated in 2006 and finalised their divorce in 2008. Through this marriage, Mills is entitled to the title of Heather Mills, Lady McCartney, though she does not use it.

After her marriage to McCartney, Mills became involved in animal rights advocacy and as of 2012 is a patron of Viva! (Vegetarians' International Voice for Animals) and the Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation. She is also vice-president of the Limbless Association.

Pick the Right Esthetician College near Bar Mills ME

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Bar Mills ME.