How to Enroll In the Right Aesthetician School Near Belvidere Illinois
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Belvidere IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Belvidere residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine 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 training programs are available.
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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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Belvidere Illinois 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 Training
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Belvidere IL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Belvidere home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Belvidere IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check 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 Belvidere IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult 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? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Belvidere IL 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 seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that he or she receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Belvidere IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be available.
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Enroll in the Right Belvidere Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter 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 ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Belvidere Illinois.
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