How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Smithfield ME

How to Pick an Esthetics Course near Smithfield Maine

Smithfield ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Smithfield ME, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear 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 kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Smithfield home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Smithfield ME Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Smithfield ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Smithfield ME esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to receive 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Smithfield ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Smithfield ME Online esthetician classes are convenient for Smithfield ME students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Smithfield ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Smithfield home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you select 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 04978 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Smithfield ME employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent 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. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Smithfield ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Maine school licensing authority to find out 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 comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as 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 focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Smithfield ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Smithfield ME businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Smithfield ME?

Perhaps you live in the Smithfield 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.

Smithfield, Maine

Smithfield is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,033 at the 2010 census. The town was incorporated on February 29, 1840 making it the only town in Maine incorporated on Leap Day.[4] The town was named after the Rev. Henry Smith, an early settler.[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 24.76 square miles (64.13 km2), of which, 19.90 square miles (51.54 km2) of it is land and 4.86 square miles (12.59 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,033 people, 451 households, and 314 families residing in the town. The population density was 51.9 inhabitants per square mile (20.0/km2). There were 727 housing units at an average density of 36.5 per square mile (14.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.6% White, 0.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

Pick the Right Esthetics Training Program near Smithfield ME

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty 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 process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, 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 right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Smithfield ME.