How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Woolwich ME

How to Select an Esthetics Training Program near Woolwich Maine

Woolwich ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Woolwich ME, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear 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 kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Woolwich residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Woolwich ME Cosmetology is an occupation 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 described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Woolwich 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, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting 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 become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Woolwich ME esthetician client with face mask There are primarily 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 typically require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer 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 run a parlor or other Woolwich ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Woolwich ME Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Woolwich ME students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Woolwich ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Woolwich home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 04579 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Woolwich ME employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Woolwich ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Woolwich 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Woolwich ME employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Woolwich ME?

Perhaps you live in the Woolwich 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.

Woolwich, Maine

Woolwich is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,072 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Woolwich is a suburb of the city of Bath located on the opposite shore of Merrymeeting Bay.

Called Nequasset after Nequasset lake by Abenaki Indians, it was first settled in 1638 by Edward Bateman and John Brown. They would purchase the land in 1639 from the sachem Mowhotiwormet, commonly known as Chief Robinhood, who lived near Nequasset Falls. At Day's Ferry on the Kennebec River, Richard Hammond operated a fortified trading post. His household of 16, including servants, workmen and stepchildren, conducted a lucrative fur trade with the Indians. But in the first blow of King Philip's War in the area, on the evening of August 13, 1676, warriors ingratiated themselves into the stockaded trading post, then killed the elderly Hammond and his stepson as they returned for the night. Others were either slain and scalped or taken into captivity. Buildings were looted and burned, and the cattle slain.[4][5][6]

Nequasset was attacked during King William's War, when inhabitants were again massacred or forced to abandon their homes. It was assailed again in 1723 during Dummer's War, when the Norridgewocks and their 250 Indian allies from Canada, incited by the French missionary Sebastien Rale, burned dwellings and killed cattle. Following Governor William Dummer's peace treaty of 1725, resettlement would be slow. During the French and Indian War, on June 9, 1758, Indians raided the village, killing members of the Preble family and taking others prisoner to Quebec.[7] This incident became known as the last conflict on the Kennebec River.[8][9]

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Woolwich ME

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Woolwich ME.