How to Choose the Right Beauty Academy near Southwest Harbor Maine
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Southwest Harbor ME, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Southwest Harbor residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at 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.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described 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 look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Southwest Harbor ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Southwest Harbor ME business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Southwest Harbor ME students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in area 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 impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Southwest Harbor ME home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 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 decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 04679 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 Southwest Harbor ME employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every beauty school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Southwest Harbor ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Southwest Harbor ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s crucial that she or he gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Southwest Harbor ME employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided.
Considering Cosmetology Schools in Southwest Harbor ME?
If you are considering attending Beauty School in Southwest Harbor ME or in a nearby area, following is some interesting and useful information regarding the location of your new school campus.
Southwest Harbor, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.69 square miles (58.77 km2), of which 13.51 square miles (34.99 km2) is land and 9.18 square miles (23.78 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,764 people, 835 households, and 483 families residing in the town. The population density was 130.6 inhabitants per square mile (50.4/km2). There were 1,484 housing units at an average density of 109.8 per square mile (42.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% White, 0.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.
There were 835 households of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.2% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.69.
Makeup Education Southwest Harbor ME
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Makeup Education. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Southwest Harbor ME.
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