How to Select the Best Esthetician Training Program Near Arlington Heights Illinois
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Arlington Heights IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Arlington Heights home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
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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 Arlington Heights Illinois nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Arlington Heights IL students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet 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 Esthetics Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Arlington Heights residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Arlington Heights IL employers 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? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Arlington Heights IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Illinois 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 vision is to launch a Arlington Heights IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that she or he gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Arlington Heights IL businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, 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 Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Arlington Heights Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the proper 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 certain to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Arlington Heights Illinois.
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