How to Enroll In the Best Aesthetician Program Near Westbrook Maine

Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Westbrook ME, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate 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 Westbrook residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of courses are offered.

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Esthetician Training Programs

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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Westbrook Maine spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.

Online Esthetician Courses

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Westbrook ME students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs

Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Westbrook residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Westbrook ME employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Westbrook ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Maine school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective 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 aspiration is to open a Westbrook ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Westbrook ME businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Westbrook

Enroll in the Best Westbrook Esthetician Program

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Westbrook Maine.

 

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