How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Maine NY

How to Select an Esthetician College near Maine New York

Maine NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Maine NY, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Maine home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Maine NY Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Maine NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many 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 earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Maine NY esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 trained in each of the major 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 in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Maine NY business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Maine NY Online esthetician programs are convenient for Maine NY students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount 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 commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Maine NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Maine residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 13802 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Maine NY businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Maine NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some 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, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 objective 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 desire is to start a Maine NY beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that she or he gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Maine NY businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Maine NY?

Perhaps you live in the Maine New York 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.

Maine, New York

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 45.8 square miles (118.5 km2), of which 45.6 square miles (118.2 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.26%, is water.[3]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 5,459 people, 2,036 households, and 1,531 families residing in the town. The population density was 119.4 people per square mile (46.1/km²). There were 2,181 housing units at an average density of 47.7 per square mile (18.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.89% White, 0.44% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.

There were 2,036 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.08.

Find the Right Esthetics College near Maine NY

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Maine NY.