How to Choose the Best Aesthetician Training Program Near Chicago Illinois
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Chicago IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Chicago residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example 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 little bit about what types of training programs are available.
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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 Chicago Illinois nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Programs
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Chicago IL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Chicago home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure 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 can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Chicago IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent 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, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Chicago IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, 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. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a Chicago 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 rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Chicago IL employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Chicago Esthetician Training
Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect 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 beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Chicago Illinois.
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