How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Tenants Harbor ME

How to Choose an Esthetics School near Tenants Harbor Maine

Tenants Harbor ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Tenants Harbor ME, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Tenants Harbor residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding 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 programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Tenants Harbor ME Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive 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 term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance 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 become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Tenants Harbor ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many 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 mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Tenants Harbor ME esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Tenants Harbor ME business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Tenants Harbor ME Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Tenants Harbor ME students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you select 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 part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Tenants Harbor ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Tenants Harbor home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 04860 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Tenants Harbor ME businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Tenants Harbor ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick 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 aspiration is to start a Tenants Harbor ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find 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 important that she or he gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Tenants Harbor ME businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad 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. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Tenants Harbor ME?

Perhaps you live in the Tenants 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.

St. George, Maine

St. George is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,591 at the 2010 Census. It includes the villages of Port Clyde, Clark Island, Glenmere, Martinsville and Tenants Harbor, the latter its commercial center. A favorite with artists, writers and naturalists, St. George is home to the Brothers and Hay Ledge nature preserve, comprising four islands off Port Clyde.

The peninsula and its islands were noted for immense flocks of duck, geese and other waterfowl. Although the region was part of the Waldo Patent, General Samuel Waldo complied with requests from Abenaki Indians not to settle immigrants at what was their prized hunting ground. Consequently, the peninsula remained unpopulated until after the close of the French and Indian Wars in 1763. The Revolutionary War further slowed development, but during the 1780s, there was rapid settlement of the peninsula. It was incorporated in 1789 as part of Cushing. On February 7, 1803, the peninsula and its islands were set off and incorporated as St. George, taking its name from the river.

Farmers grew potatoes. After 1830, granite was quarried and shipped nationally for construction. Shipbuilders annually produced three to four vessels, many for the coasting trade, exporting cordwood, lumber and fish. Factories canned lobsters, clams and sardines. In the 1880s, the town's rugged oceanfront beauty was discovered by "rusticators"—visitors, including artists, who bought or built summer cottages.

Select the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Tenants Harbor ME

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Tenants Harbor ME.