How to Pick the Right Aesthetician College Near Franklin Park Illinois

Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Franklin Park IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Franklin Park home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of programs are available.

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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

There are basically two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs generally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Franklin Park IL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it's imperative to make sure that it's certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Franklin Park IL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because 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 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. However, it's imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary 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 be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Franklin Park home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Franklin Park IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Franklin Park IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 start a Franklin Park 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that he or she gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Franklin Park IL employers that are looking 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. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Franklin Park

Enroll in the Right Franklin Park Esthetician Course

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. 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 cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Franklin Park Illinois.

 

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