How to Enroll In the Best Beauty School near South Portland Maine
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near South Portland ME, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Portland residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing 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 in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
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Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can 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 undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only South Portland ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, 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 are known by many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting 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 get licensed in those states.
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Cosmetology Degrees
There are essentially two avenues available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other South Portland ME business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online beauty programs are advantageous for South Portland ME students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of 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 six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your South Portland ME home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 04106 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many South Portland ME businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with South Portland ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, consult 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 Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 open a hair salon in South Portland ME, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with South Portland ME businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out 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 Available? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.
Hair Cosmetology Schools South Portland Maine
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Hair Cosmetology Schools and learning more about the topic Cosmetology Course. So make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in South Portland ME.
Other Beautiful Maine Locations
South Portland, Maine
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state, incorporated in 1898. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of Portland and the islands of Casco Bay. Due to South Portland's close proximity to air, marine, rail, and highway transportation options, the city has become a center for retail and industry in the region.
Despite the name, South Portland was never part of the city of Portland, but rather part of Cape Elizabeth. It broke off in 1895. However, both Cape Elizabeth and Portland were once part of Falmouth. Cape Elizabeth, then including what later became South Portland, broke away from Falmouth in 1765. South Portland is a principal city of the Portland – South Portland – Biddeford metropolitan area.
South Portland was first settled in 1630, and it grew to become a small residential community with many farms. The village was raided by natives in Father Rale's War (1724). In 1858, the City of Portland purchased land near the Fore River for the Forest City Cemetery. On March 15, 1895, it was incorporated as a town after it broke away from Cape Elizabeth, based on a disagreement on a future source of public drinking water. Three years later South Portland became a city, destined to receive its drinking water, like Portland, from Sebago Lake, while Cape Elizabeth used wells or other local sources.
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