How to Select the Best Aesthetician College Near Portland Maine
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Portland ME, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Portland home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician Training Requirements
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
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 Portland Maine nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Training
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Portland ME students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Portland residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Portland ME businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Portland ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Portland ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for 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 she or he gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Portland ME employers that are looking for skilled 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. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Portland
Enroll in the Right Portland Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, 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 right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Portland Maine.
Portland Esthetician Schools | Portland Esthetician Schools Online