How to Pick the Best Esthetician Course Near Scarborough Maine

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Scarborough ME, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Scarborough home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about 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 Programs

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

As skilled skincare experts, estheticians need to be knowledgeable of everything from skin histology and physiology to bacteriology and sanitation protocols. As beauty professionals, estheticians must be trained to perform the services that promote healthy, radiant skin – including everything from hair removal methods, pore cleansing and extractions to microdermabrasion, makeup artistry, chemical peels, and light therapy. As beauty and wellness experts, people also turn to estheticians for consultations, advice, and tips for home skincare regimens. They may recommend products, educate clients, and recommend esthetic procedures based on their clients’ needs and wants. Their work environments can include Scarborough Maine spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Scarborough ME students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Scarborough home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Scarborough ME businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably 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 exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Scarborough ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 Scarborough ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that she or he receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Scarborough ME businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Many esthetician schools provide 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 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 too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

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Enroll in the Right Scarborough Esthetician Program

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Scarborough Maine.

 

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