How to Pick the Best Aesthetician School Near Aurora Illinois
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Aurora IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's essential 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 start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Aurora residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of programs are offered.
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Esthetician Training Requirements
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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Aurora Illinois clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:
- Assessing a patient’s needs
- Chemical peels
- Laser treatments
- Waxing
- Facials
- Massage of the head and neck
- Microdermabrasion
Online Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Aurora IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Aurora 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 narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Aurora IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Aurora IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances 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, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that focuses on 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 start a Aurora IL beauty salon, then you want 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 provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Aurora IL businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Aurora
Enroll in the Right Aurora Esthetician Course
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce 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 ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Aurora Illinois.
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