How to Select the Right Esthetician School Near Alton Illinois
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Alton IL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused 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 plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Alton home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two options available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Alton IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it's essential to make certain that it's recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.
Online Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Alton IL 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 cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Schools
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Alton residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick 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 meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Alton IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Alton IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Illinois 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 Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in 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 dream is to start a Alton IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate 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 essential that he or she receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Alton IL employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out 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 Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Alton
Enroll in the Best Alton Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. 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 Alton Illinois.
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