How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Southwest Harbor ME

How to Find the Right Esthetician Course near Southwest Harbor Maine

Southwest Harbor ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Southwest Harbor ME, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Southwest Harbor home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as 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 types of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Southwest Harbor ME Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Southwest Harbor ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example 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

Southwest Harbor ME esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 want to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Southwest Harbor ME business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s important 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 benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Southwest Harbor ME Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Southwest Harbor ME students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Southwest Harbor ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Southwest Harbor residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 04679 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Southwest Harbor ME businesses will not recruit 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 college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Southwest Harbor ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with 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? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Southwest Harbor ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Southwest Harbor ME businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs 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 affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Southwest Harbor ME?

Perhaps you live in the Southwest Harbor 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.

Southwest Harbor, Maine

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.69 square miles (58.77 km2), of which 13.51 square miles (34.99 km2) is land and 9.18 square miles (23.78 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,764 people, 835 households, and 483 families residing in the town. The population density was 130.6 inhabitants per square mile (50.4/km2). There were 1,484 housing units at an average density of 109.8 per square mile (42.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% White, 0.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 835 households of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.2% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.69.

Find the Right Esthetician School near Southwest Harbor ME

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Southwest Harbor ME.