How to Find the Best Esthetician School Near Lewiston Maine
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lewiston ME, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lewiston residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetician Training Programs
Estheticians are highly trained, in-demand skincare experts, which is why an esthetics program requires around 600 hours of hands-on training hours. For licensure, you need to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the skin and the technology used in advanced treatments like lasers, LED lights, oxygen, or ultrasonic waves. Keep in mind that program requirements can vary by state, but most states require at least 600 hours of training to obtain a license in the field. In addition to training, estheticians should also have a professional and friendly personality that instills confidence in their clients. A skilled esthetician must be able to listen and empathize with their clients’ needs and concerns, often personalizing treatment for them.
Esthetician Job Description
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Lewiston Maine nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Training
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Lewiston ME students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lewiston home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lewiston ME businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lewiston ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 dream is to open a Lewiston ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Lewiston ME businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Lewiston Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive 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 ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Lewiston Maine.
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