How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Phippsburg ME

How to Pick an Esthetics Program near Phippsburg Maine

Phippsburg ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Phippsburg ME, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Phippsburg home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as 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 kinds of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Phippsburg ME Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Phippsburg ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Phippsburg ME esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to obtain 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 generally call for 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Phippsburg ME business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance 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 Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Phippsburg ME Online esthetician schools are convenient for Phippsburg ME students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short 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 many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Phippsburg ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Phippsburg home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 04562 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Phippsburg ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Phippsburg ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 start a Phippsburg ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Phippsburg ME employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs 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 confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many 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 identify what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Phippsburg ME?

Perhaps you live in the Phippsburg 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.

Phippsburg, Maine

Phippsburg is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States, on the west side of the mouth of the Kennebec River. The population was 2,216 at the 2010 census. It is within the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine, metropolitan statistical area. A tourist destination, Phippsburg is home to Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area, Fort Popham State Historic Site; it is also home to Fort Baldwin which overlooks Fort Popham, and Popham Beach State Park, as well as Pond Island National Wildlife Refuge. The town includes part of Winnegance.

Site of the Popham Colony, Phippsburg was — between 1607 and 1608 — the first known English settlement attempt in New England. During its brief existence, colonists built Virginia of Sagadahoc, the first ship in Maine's long history of shipbuilding.[4]

The next British settlement at the mouth of the Kennebec River began in 1653; Thomas Atkins, a fisherman, purchased from the sachem Mowhotiwormet, commonly called Chief Robinhood, the southern end of Phippsburg (with the exception of Popham). Atkins Bay bears his name. The population gradually increased until King Philip's War, when Indians in August 1676 attacked the eastern side of the Kennebec River, massacring and scalping the colonists, or else carrying them into captivity. Dwellings were burned and stocks of cattle killed. The entire area was abandoned.[5]

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Program near Phippsburg ME

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. 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 Phippsburg ME.