How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools South Gardiner ME

How to Choose an Esthetics College near South Gardiner Maine

South Gardiner 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 South Gardiner 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 necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial 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 talk a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Gardiner home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners South Gardiner ME Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only South Gardiner ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

South Gardiner ME esthetician client with face mask There are basically 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 usually take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other South Gardiner ME business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in South Gardiner ME Online esthetician programs are accommodating for South Gardiner ME students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed 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 provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

South Gardiner ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your South Gardiner home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 04359 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many South Gardiner ME employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great 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. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with South Gardiner ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 aspiration is to start a South Gardiner 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 pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with South Gardiner ME businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask 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 Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near South Gardiner ME?

Perhaps you live in the South Gardiner 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.

Gardiner, Maine

Gardiner is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,800 at the 2010 census. Popular with tourists, Gardiner is noted for its culture and old architecture. Gardiner is included in the Augusta, Maine micropolitan New England City and Town Area.

Located at the head of navigation on the Kennebec River, Gardiner was founded as Gardinerstown Plantation in 1754 by Dr. Silvester Gardiner, a prominent Boston physician. Dr. Gardiner had made a fortune as a drug merchant, with one apothecary shop in Massachusetts and two in Connecticut, and became a principal proprietor of the Kennebec Purchase within the old Plymouth Patent. He proved a tireless promoter for his development, which once comprised over 100,000 acres (400 km2).[4]

Dr. Gardiner induced a gristmill builder, saw millwright, house carpenter and wheelwright to settle here. Houses, mills, a church and a blockhouse were built. Situated at the confluence of the Kennebec River and Cobbesseecontee Stream, which has falls that drop 130 feet, the location was recognized by him as ideal for water-powered mills. Gardinerstown, set off from Pittston in 1760, became center of the regional economy.[4]

Choose the Right Esthetics School near South Gardiner ME

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. 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 proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in South Gardiner ME.