How to Choose the Right Cosmetology Program near Augusta Maine
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Augusta ME, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might 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 pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Augusta home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
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Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Augusta ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, 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 previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
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Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two avenues offered to receive cosmetology 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 usually 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 available if you want to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Augusta ME business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s essential 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 organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Beauty Courses
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Augusta ME students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Augusta ME home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 04330 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Augusta ME employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Augusta ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Augusta ME, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Augusta ME employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded 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 reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered.
School Cosmetology Augusta Maine
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in School Cosmetology and learning more about the topic How Long Is Cosmetology School. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Augusta ME.
Other Beautiful Maine Locations
Augusta, Maine
The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-least populous state capital in the United States after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota, and the ninth-most populous city in Maine. Located on the Kennebec River at the head of tide, Augusta is home to the University of Maine at Augusta. Augusta is also the principal city in the Augusta-Waterville Micropolitan Statistical Area.
The area was first explored by the ill-fated Popham Colony in September 1607. It was first inhabited by English settlers from the Plymouth Colony in 1628 as a trading post on the Kennebec River. The settlement was known by its Indian name—Cushnoc (or Coussinoc or Koussinoc), meaning "head of the tide." Fur trading was at first profitable, but with Indian uprisings and declining revenues, the Plymouth Colony sold the Kennebec Patent in 1661. Cushnoc would remain unoccupied for the next 75 years.[6] This area was inhabited by the Kennebec Indians, a band of the larger Abenaki tribe. During the 17th century, they were on friendly terms with the English settlers in the region.[7][8]
A hotbed of Abenaki hostility toward British settlements was located further up the Kennebec at Norridgewock. In 1722, the tribe and its allies attacked Fort Richmond (now Richmond) and destroyed Brunswick. In response, Norridgewock was sacked in 1724 during Dummer's War, when English forces gained tentative control of the Kennebec. During the height of the French and Indian War, a blockhouse named Fort Western (now the oldest wooden fort in America), was built at Cushnoc on the eastern bank of the Kennebec River in 1754. It was intended as a supply depot for Fort Halifax upriver, as well as to protect its own region from French attack.[9] Later, during the American Revolutionary War Benedict Arnold and his 1,100 troops would use Fort Western as a staging area before continuing their journey up the Kennebec to the Battle of Quebec.
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