How to Choose the Right Esthetician College Near Dekalb Illinois

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Dekalb IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather confused about the difference 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 intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Dekalb home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of training programs are offered.

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Esthetics 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 Dekalb 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 Schools

Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Dekalb IL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount 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 outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Programs

Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Dekalb residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Dekalb 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 Good Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Dekalb IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 dream is to open a Dekalb IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Dekalb IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire 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 wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most 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 office. 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 offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Dekalb

Enroll in the Best Dekalb Esthetician Course

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Dekalb Illinois.

 

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