How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Kittery ME

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Kittery Maine

Kittery ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Kittery ME, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Kittery residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Kittery ME Cosmetology is a profession 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 really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Kittery ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers 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 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 some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Kittery 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) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Kittery ME business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Kittery ME Online esthetician classes are convenient for Kittery ME students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important 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 required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Kittery ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Kittery home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 03904 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Kittery 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 a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Kittery ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden 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 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 Kittery 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Kittery ME businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many 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 learn what student loans or grants you may 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Kittery ME?

Perhaps you live in the Kittery 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.

Kittery, Maine

Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals. The town is a tourist destination known for its many outlet stores.

Kittery is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The town's population was 9,490 at the 2010 census. Kittery may be the namesake of William Billings 1783 anthem "Kittery", which is printed in the Shenandoah Harmony and Missouri Harmony shape note tunebooks, but because the song was published after the incorporation of the town, this is debated.

English settlement around the natural harbor of the Piscataqua River estuary began about 1623. By 1632 it was protected by Fort William and Mary on today's New Hampshire side of the river; in 1689 defensive works that later became Fort McClary in Kittery Point were added on today's Maine side to the north.

Pick the Right Esthetics School near Kittery ME

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Kittery ME.