How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bath ME

How to Select an Esthetician Program near Bath Maine

Bath ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bath ME, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference 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 speak a little bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bath home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bath ME Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may 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 be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Bath ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Bath ME esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to obtain 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 usually take 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 offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Bath ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties 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. Many 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 choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Bath ME Online esthetician programs are convenient for Bath ME students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from 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 so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet 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.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Bath ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Bath home, as well as the expense 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 narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 04530 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Bath ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Bath ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular 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 choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 vision is to open a Bath ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Bath ME businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bath ME?

Perhaps you live in the Bath 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.

Bath, Maine

Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. The population was 8,514 at the 2010 census, and 8,357 as of 2013, the population has had a change of -10.2% since 2000. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County, which includes one city and 10 towns.[4] The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its 19th-century architecture. It is home to the Bath Iron Works and Heritage Days Festival, held annually on the Fourth of July weekend. It is commonly known as "The City of Ships". Bath is part of the metropolitan statistical area of Greater Portland.

Abenaki Indians called the area Sagadahoc, meaning "mouth of big river". It was a reference to the Kennebec River, which Samuel de Champlain explored in 1605. Popham Colony was established in 1607 downstream, together with Fort St George. The settlement failed due to harsh weather and lack of leadership, but the colonists built the New World's first oceangoing vessel constructed by English shipwrights, the Virginia of Sagadahoc. It provided passage back to England. Most of Bath, Maine, was settled by travelers from Bath, England.[5]

The next settlement at Sagadahoc was about 1660, when the land was taken from an Indian sagamore known as Robinhood.[6] Incorporated as part of Georgetown in 1753, Bath was set off and incorporated as a town on February 17, 1781. It was named by the postmaster, Dummer Sewell, after Bath in Somerset, England. In 1844, a portion of the town was set off to create West Bath. On June 14, 1847, Bath was incorporated as a city, and in 1854 designated county seat. Land was annexed from West Bath in 1855.[5]

Pick the Right Esthetician College near Bath ME

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once 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 Bath ME.