How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Sebago ME

How to Pick an Esthetics College near Sebago Maine

Sebago ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Sebago ME, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Sebago residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Sebago ME Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Sebago ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Sebago ME esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Sebago ME business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Sebago ME Online esthetician programs are convenient for Sebago ME students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal 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 six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Sebago ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Sebago residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 04029 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Sebago ME employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Sebago ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted 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 find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 vision is to open a Sebago 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Sebago ME businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Sebago ME?

Perhaps you live in the Sebago 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.

Sebago Lake

Sebago Lake is the deepest and second largest lake in the U.S. state of Maine. The lake is 316 feet (96 m) deep at its deepest point, with a mean depth of 101 feet (31 m), covers about 45 square miles (117 km2) in surface area, has a length of 12 miles (19 km) and a shoreline length of 105 miles (169 km).[2] The surface is around 270 feet (82 m) above sea level, so the deep bottom is below the present sea level.[3] It is in Cumberland County, Maine, and bordered by the towns of Casco, Naples, Raymond, Sebago, Standish and Windham. The seasonally occupied town of Frye Island is on an island in the lake.[4]

The lake is connected to Brandy Pond by the Songo River and eventually to Long Lake in Naples. The name comes from a local Native American tribe. The lake is drained primarily by the Presumpscot River. The lake and rivers were an early transportation corridor from the coast to the interior, and encouraged the first incorporated European settlement of interior Maine in 1762.[5] Sebago Lake was linked to Portland harbor by the Cumberland and Oxford Canal in 1832. The outlet to the Presumpscot River was controlled for the canal by the Eel Weir Dam and the Head Dam, owned and operated by the Oriental Powder Company after the canal was replaced by a railroad[6] and by the S. D. Warren Paper Mill after 1878.[2][7]

The lake was a comparatively safe place for training military pilots from NAS Brunswick about flying over water; but several navy planes were lost over the lake during World War II. A Grumman TBF Avenger from the Lewiston Naval Auxiliary Air Facility ditched and sank near Raymond on 16 August 1943. Two low-flying British Vought Corsairs from Brunswick were lost after a mid-air collision over the lake near Raymond on 16 May 1944; and a third Corsair flew into the lake on July 16.[8] In December 2014 the first Sebago Lake beach landing in the history of the world was made by a yellow Supercub.

Pick the Right Esthetics School near Sebago ME

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Sebago ME.