How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Seal Harbor ME

How to Enroll In an Esthetician School near Seal Harbor Maine

Seal Harbor ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Seal Harbor ME, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding 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 Seal Harbor residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Seal Harbor ME Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous 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 look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Seal Harbor 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, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional 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 mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Seal Harbor ME esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered 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 call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 want 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 parlor or other Seal Harbor ME business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Seal Harbor ME Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Seal Harbor ME students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Seal Harbor ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Seal Harbor home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 04675 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Seal Harbor 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 considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Seal Harbor ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a Seal Harbor ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Seal Harbor ME businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Seal Harbor ME?

Perhaps you live in the Seal Harbor 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.

Hoover (seal)

On May 5, 1971,[3] Scottie Dunning discovered a tiny male harbor seal pup on the shore of Cundy’s Harbor, Maine. After a failed attempt at locating the pup’s mother, Dunning called his brother-in-law George Swallow for help. When Swallow arrived, the two searched for the mother seal and later found her dead among the rocks.[4]

After careful consideration, Swallow finally decided to take the seal pup home with him. At first, it refused to drink milk from a bottle, but once advice was given by a neighbor to grind up fish and offer it to the pup, he sucked it up like a hoover (vacuum cleaner), hence his name.[5]

The Swallows kept him in their bathtub, but this proved too inconvenient within a few days. So George moved him out back to a spring-fed pond where he set up a “pup tent” enclosed by a wire fence.[4] Hoover lived very much like a family dog and even accompanied George riding into town with his head poking out of the window.[3]

Pick the Right Esthetician School near Seal Harbor ME

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Seal Harbor ME.