How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Farmingdale ME

How to Choose an Esthetician College near Farmingdale Maine

Farmingdale ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Farmingdale ME, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Farmingdale home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Farmingdale ME Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many 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 almost 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 go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Farmingdale ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in the majority of states working 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. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Farmingdale ME esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to obtain 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 usually require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Farmingdale ME business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Farmingdale ME Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Farmingdale ME students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Farmingdale ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Farmingdale home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 04344 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 Farmingdale ME businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Farmingdale ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, 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. And last, consult the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important 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 start a Farmingdale ME beauty salon, 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 provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Farmingdale ME businesses that are looking for trained 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. 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 Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Farmingdale ME?

Perhaps you live in the Farmingdale 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.

Farmingdale, Maine

In 1852, Farmingdale incorporated as a town,[4] combining parts of South Hallowell, North Gardiner and East/West Gardiner. Many businesses existed in Farmingdale, most of them along the Kennebec River. A major business was harvesting and selling ice worldwide. The Knickerbocker Ice Company (the largest ice company in the country), and the Marshall Ice Company had ice-houses at Bowman's Point.[5] The Knickerbocker Ice Company burned in 1894 or 1895 leaving only the chimney that stood until it was demolished in 1911 to make room for the Central Maine Power Plant.[6] Other businesses on the river in Farmingdale included shipyards, brickyards, pottery, and a glue factory. Commercial growth in ensuing years centered in Gardiner, Hallowell and Augusta, while Farmingdale never developed a town center to compare with those cities. Time, fires, floods and economic forces eventually removed the larger businesses. Today, Farmingdale exists largely as a strong and vibrant residential community whose residents work primarily in other cities. The distinction between the densely developed riverbanks and the open rural back-land remains. Structures that are on the National Register of Historic Places include the Peter Grant House,[7] and the Captain Nathaniel Stone House.[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.55 square miles (29.91 km2), of which, 11.24 square miles (29.11 km2) of it is land and 0.31 square miles (0.80 km2) is water.[1]

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the town was $51,344, and the median income for a family was $56,415. Males had a median income of $49,643 versus $29,391 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,015. About 18.8% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 0% of those age 65 or over.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Training Program near Farmingdale ME

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Farmingdale ME.