How to Choose the Best Esthetician Course Near Gorham Maine
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Gorham ME, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Gorham home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
Esthetics school is an investment of time, energy, and money. Requirements vary from state to state, but the majority of states require that you complete at least 600 hours of training. Full-time school can take an average of six months to complete, and part-time school can take anywhere from 9-12 months. The primary purpose of esthetics school is to get you ready to pass the state licensing exam. They also teach basic skills that you will need to perfect through experience and sometimes additional classes, such as giving facials, body treatments, and performing waxing. More advanced training includes learning to work with machines, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and Lasers used to rejuvenate the skin and permanently remove hair.
Esthetician Job Description
Estheticians provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Gorham Maine clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:
- Assessing a patient’s needs
- Chemical peels
- Laser treatments
- Waxing
- Facials
- Massage of the head and neck
- Microdermabrasion
Online Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Gorham 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 through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial 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 away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Gorham home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Gorham ME employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Gorham ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 Gorham ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that he or she gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Gorham ME businesses that are looking for trained 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. High rates not only verify that they have extensive 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. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to 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 omit it as an option before you learn what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Gorham
Enroll in the Best Gorham Esthetician Program
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, 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 right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Gorham Maine.
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