How to Enroll In the Right Aesthetician College Near Du Page Illinois
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Du Page IL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain 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 Du Page residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of courses are available.
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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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Du Page Illinois clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:
- Assessing a patient’s needs
- Chemical peels
- Laser treatments
- Waxing
- Facials
- Massage of the head and neck
- Microdermabrasion
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Du Page IL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in local 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 obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Du Page home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you select 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior 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 criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Du Page IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Du Page IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 launch a Du Page IL beauty salon, then you want 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that he or she receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Du Page IL businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Du Page
Enroll in the Best Du Page Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Du Page Illinois.