How to Select the Right Esthetician College Near Freeport Illinois
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Freeport IL, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Freeport home. Tuition will additionally 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 a number of other factors 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 looking at 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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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
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 Freeport Illinois nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Training
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Freeport IL students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a home 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 short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it's vital that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area 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.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes
Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Freeport residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Freeport 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 an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Freeport IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Freeport IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty 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 allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that she or he receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Freeport IL businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Freeport Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Freeport Illinois.
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