How to Pick the Right Esthetician College Near Joliet Illinois

Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Joliet IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Joliet residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of courses are offered.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!

Esthetician Degrees

There are primarily two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree usually 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 want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Joliet 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. Whatever type of program you opt for, it's imperative to make certain that it's certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Joliet IL students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Joliet residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Joliet IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent 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. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Joliet 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 may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 Joliet 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that she or he gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Joliet IL employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 Aid Available?  Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Joliet

Enroll in the Best Joliet Esthetician Course

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive 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. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Joliet Illinois.

 

Joliet Esthetician Courses Online | Joliet Esthetician Classes