How to Select the Best Esthetician School Near Dekalb Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Dekalb IL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit 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 anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Dekalb residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of training 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 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 Esthetics Courses

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Dekalb IL students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Dekalb home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Dekalb IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Dekalb IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact 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 Specialty?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 aspiration is to launch 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. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that she or he receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Dekalb IL employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

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Enroll in the Right Dekalb Esthetician Course

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Dekalb Illinois.

 

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