How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician Program Near Belleville Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Belleville IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Belleville home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering 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 Belleville Illinois spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.

Online Esthetician Classes

Online esthetician schools are convenient for Belleville IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs 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 internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Belleville home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Belleville IL employers 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?  Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Belleville IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that specializes in 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 aspiration is to open a Belleville IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So 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 important that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Belleville IL businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Belleville

Enroll in the Best Belleville Esthetician Program

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good 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 begin with that foundation, 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 ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Belleville Illinois.

 

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