How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools York ME

How to Pick an Esthetics College near York Maine

York ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near York ME, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your York home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners York ME Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course 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 anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only York ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many 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 previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

York ME esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus 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 operate a salon or other York ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in York ME Online esthetician classes are convenient for York ME students who are working 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 offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

York ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your York residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 03909 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous York ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with York ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And 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 Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on 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 desire is to open a York ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with York ME employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near York ME?

Perhaps you live in the York 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.

York, Maine

York is a town in York County, Maine, United States, near the southern tip of the state. The population in the 2010 census was 12,529. Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Maine, York is a well-known summer resort town. It is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, four sandy beaches, and Mount Agamenticus. It includes the villages of York Village, York Harbor, York Beach and Cape Neddick.

First settled by Europeans in 1624, the plantation was originally called Agamenticus, the Abenaki term for the York River. In 1638, settlers changed the name to Bristol after Bristol, England, from which they had immigrated. Envisioning a great city arising from the wilderness, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, lord proprietor of Maine under the Plymouth patent, named the capital of his province Gorgeana. In 1642, by charter of King Charles I, Gorgeana became the first incorporated city in America.[4]

Following Gorges' death, the Massachusetts Bay Company claimed his dominion. In 1652, York, Massachusetts, was incorporated from a portion of Gorgeana, making it the second oldest town in Maine after Kittery, incorporated two years earlier. It was named for York, England. But control of the region was contested between New England and New France, which incited Native Americans to attack English settlements throughout the French and Indian Wars.[4]

Pick the Right Esthetics College near York ME

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in York ME.