How to Select the Best Aesthetician Classes Near Highland Park Illinois
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Highland Park IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Highland Park home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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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 Highland Park Illinois spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Highland Park IL students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Highland Park residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Highland Park IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Highland Park IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Highland Park IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he receives help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Highland Park IL businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with 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 also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Highland Park
Enroll in the Best Highland Park Esthetician Program
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Highland Park Illinois.
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