How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Orland ME

How to Choose an Esthetics College near Orland Maine

Orland ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Orland ME, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Orland home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example 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 discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Orland ME Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application 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 basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Orland ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 earlier mentioned, 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. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Orland ME esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Orland ME business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Orland ME Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Orland ME students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Orland 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 previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Orland residence, together with the expense 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 reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 04472 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Orland ME businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Orland ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 dream is to open a Orland ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses 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 academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Orland ME businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all 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 Orland ME?

Perhaps you live in the Orland 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.

Orland, Maine

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 52.87 square miles (136.93 km2), of which 47.04 square miles (121.83 km2) is land and 5.83 square miles (15.10 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,225 people, 976 households, and 627 families residing in the town. The population density was 47.3 inhabitants per square mile (18.3/km2). There were 1,470 housing units at an average density of 31.3 per square mile (12.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% White, 0.1% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 976 households of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.8% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.70.

Find the Right Esthetics School near Orland ME

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Orland ME.