How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lewiston ME

How to Find the Right Esthetician College near Lewiston Maine

Lewiston ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lewiston ME, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lewiston home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing 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 within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lewiston ME Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application 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 basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Lewiston ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing 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.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Lewiston ME esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Lewiston ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Lewiston ME Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Lewiston ME students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Lewiston ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lewiston home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 04240 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Lewiston 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 a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lewiston ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Maine school licensing authority to find out 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 expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 aspiration is to start a Lewiston ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Lewiston ME businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs 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 affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools provide 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 find out 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 accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lewiston ME?

Perhaps you live in the Lewiston 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.

Lewiston, Maine

Lewiston (/ˈluːɪstən/;[5] officially the City of Lewiston, Maine)[6] is the second largest city in Maine and the most central city in Androscoggin County.[7] The city borders the coastal sideways of the Gulf of Maine and is south of Augusta, the state's capital, and north of Portland, the cultural hub of Maine. It is one-half of the Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Statistical Area, commonly referred to as "L.A." or "L-A."[8] Lewiston exerts a significant impact upon the diversity, religious variety, commerce, education, and economic power of Maine. It is known for a relatively low cost of living, substantial access to medical care, and an extremely low violent-crime rate.[9][10] While the dominant language spoken in the city is English, it is home to the largest French-speaking population in the United States (by population) while it is second to St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, in percentage of speakers.[11][12][13]

The Lewiston area traces its roots to 1669 with the early presence of the Androscoggin tribe (the namesake of the county the city resides in). In the late 18th century, the area slowly became populated by Quebec families and was incorporated as "Lewistown" in 1795.[14] The presence of the Androscoggin River and Lewistown Falls made the town an attractive area for manufacturing and hydro-power businesses. The rise of Boston rail and textile tycoon Benjamin Bates saw rapid economic growth rivaling that of Cambridge, Worcester, and Concord. The increase in economic stimulus prompted thousands of Quebecers to migrate, causing a population boom; the populace rose from 1,801 in 1840 to 21,701 in 1890. In 1855, local preacher Oren Burbank Cheney founded the Maine State Seminary, the first coeducational university in New England and one of the first universities to admit black students before the Emancipation Proclamation. Lewistown quickly became associated with the liberal arts and was incorporated as "Lewiston" in 1864, a year before the college was chartered as Bates College.

The city is home to the only basilica in Maine, Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul; 15 colleges and universities; 44 listings on the National Register of Historic Places; the Androscoggin Bank Colisée; the Stephens Observatory; the Olin Arts Center; the Bates College Museum of Art (BCMoA); and two significant general hospitals: Central Maine Medical Center and Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Program near Lewiston ME

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure 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 answer the additional questions supplied in this article, 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 test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Lewiston ME.