How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools North Bridgton ME

How to Select an Esthetics School near North Bridgton Maine

North Bridgton ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near North Bridgton ME, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your North Bridgton residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners North Bridgton 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 many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only North Bridgton ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. 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 and Certificates

North Bridgton ME esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to obtain 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 generally take 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other North Bridgton ME business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential 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 reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in North Bridgton ME Online esthetician classes are accommodating for North Bridgton ME students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

North Bridgton ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your North Bridgton home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 04057 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 North Bridgton ME businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with North Bridgton 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 suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose 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 North Bridgton ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with North Bridgton ME businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at 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 verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near North Bridgton ME?

Perhaps you live in the North Bridgton 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.

Bridgton, Maine

Bridgton is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,210 at the 2010 census.[4] A resort area in Maine's Lakes Region, Bridgton is home to Bridgton Academy, a private preparatory school, and the Four on the Fourth Road Race.

The undeveloped land was first called Pondicherry. It was granted in 1768 by the Massachusetts General Court to Moody Bridges and a group of proprietors. Settlement began in 1770 at what is now North Bridgton, where a tavern was built. The community was organized in 1779 as Bridgetown Plantation, named after Moody Bridges, and then incorporated on February 7, 1794 as Bridgton.[5]

Stevens Brook is only a mile and a half long, but it provided water power for 12 mill sites. It developed as an industrial center, with sawmills, gristmills, woolen textile mills, a tannery, shoe factory and brick manufacturer. Later, a corn and vegetable packing plant was built, in addition to a foundry, machine shop, shovel handle factory, sash and blind factory, and a coffin shop. Population increased when goods manufactured by water power could be transported to outside markets on the Cumberland and Oxford Canal, which opened to Portland in 1832.[6] By the mid-19th century, the town contained about 3,000 inhabitants. When the Portland and Ogdensburg Railway bypassed Bridgton, the town built the 2-foot-gauge (610 mm) Bridgton and Saco River Railroad link to the national rail network in 1883.[7] Summer vacationers arrived by rail and steamboat until automobile tourists began arriving after designation of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway in 1919 (identified as U.S. Route 302 since 1935).[8] The convenience of highway travel caused abandonment of the canal steamboats in 1932 and the narrow-gauge railroad in 1941. Bridgton remains a popular resort area, with many children's summer camps located along the shores of the beautiful lakes and Shawnee Peak Ski Area, a ski resort, located in the western part of town.

Find the Right Esthetics Vocational School near North Bridgton ME

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to 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 use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in North Bridgton ME.