How to Select the Right Aesthetician Training Program Near Charleston Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Charleston IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically 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 Charleston residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the right choice. There are various other considerations 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 looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.

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Esthetician Training Programs

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 Charleston 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 Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Charleston IL students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Charleston residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Charleston IL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Charleston IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden 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 goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a Charleston IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty 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 allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Charleston IL businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Charleston

Enroll in the Best Charleston Esthetician Program

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Charleston Illinois.

 

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