How to Select the Best Esthetician Training Program Near Des Plaines Illinois
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Des Plaines IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Des Plaines home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of training programs are available.
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Esthetician Training Programs
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 Des Plaines Illinois nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Des Plaines IL students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Des Plaines residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Des Plaines IL employers will not hire 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 profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Des Plaines IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a Des Plaines 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that he or she receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Des Plaines IL businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide 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 learn what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Des Plaines
Enroll in the Right Des Plaines Esthetician Course
Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Des Plaines Illinois.
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