How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Greenville Maine
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Greenville ME, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares 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 titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Greenville residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Greenville ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by 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 earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Esthetics Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially 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 generally require 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example 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 Greenville ME business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Esthetics Classes
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Greenville ME students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Greenville residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 04441 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Greenville ME employers 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 institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Greenville ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many 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 select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Greenville ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Greenville ME employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Attending Esthetician School Near Greenville ME?
Perhaps you live in the Greenville 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.
Greenville, Maine
Greenville is a town in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,646 at the 2010 census. The town is centered on the lower end of Moosehead Lake, the largest body of fresh water in the state. Greenville is the historic gateway to the north country and a center for outdoor recreation in the area. Greenville High School, with 89 students, was ranked as the third best high school in Maine and one of the top 1,000 in the US in 2010.[4]
First called T9 R10 NWP (or Township 9, Range 10, North of the Waldo Patent), the land was granted about 1812 by the Massachusetts General Court to Thornton Academy in Saco. In 1824, Nathaniel Haskell of Westbrook bought the Thornton Academy Grant. With Oliver Young and John Smith, he began clearing trees that summer for farming near Wilson Pond, where the Wilson Stream would provide water power for mills.[5]
In 1827, Haskell completed a house, and his family joined him. A sawmill was built on Wilson Stream in 1829, with a gristmill added the following year. In 1835, Henry Gower began clearing land beside Moosehead Lake for what would develop into Greenville village. There he erected the first hotel, a two-story building called The Seboomook House, and the first store. On February 6, 1836, Greenville was incorporated from Haskell Plantation, and named for its green forests. By 1846, Greenville village included two houses, two blacksmith shops and a schoolhouse. On August 10, 1848, the town annexed land from Wilson, the remainder of which was distributed to Shirley and Elliotsville.[5]
Enroll in the Right Esthetics Training Program near Greenville ME
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start 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 right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Greenville ME.
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