How to Pick the Best Esthetician College Near Freeport Illinois

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Freeport IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear 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 kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Freeport residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of courses are available.

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Esthetics Degrees

There are basically two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Freeport IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it's essential to make certain that it's certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Freeport IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Freeport residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Freeport IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Freeport IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a Freeport 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 pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Freeport IL employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be available.

Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Freeport

Enroll in the Best Freeport Esthetician Training

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Freeport Illinois.

 

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