How to Choose the Best Esthetician Program Near Franklin Park Illinois
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Franklin Park IL, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Franklin Park home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the best option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of training programs are offered.
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Esthetics 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
As skilled skincare experts, estheticians need to be knowledgeable of everything from skin histology and physiology to bacteriology and sanitation protocols. As beauty professionals, estheticians must be trained to perform the services that promote healthy, radiant skin – including everything from hair removal methods, pore cleansing and extractions to microdermabrasion, makeup artistry, chemical peels, and light therapy. As beauty and wellness experts, people also turn to estheticians for consultations, advice, and tips for home skincare regimens. They may recommend products, educate clients, and recommend esthetic procedures based on their clients’ needs and wants. Their work environments can include Franklin Park Illinois spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetics Training
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Franklin Park IL students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Classes
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Franklin Park residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Franklin Park IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good 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, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Franklin Park IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets 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 important that you choose 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a Franklin Park 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 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 perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search 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 imperative that she or he gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Franklin Park IL employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be offered.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Franklin Park
Enroll in the Best Franklin Park Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain 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 data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Franklin Park Illinois.
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