How to Choose the Best Aesthetician Course Near Lake Forest Illinois
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lake Forest IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lake Forest residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of courses are available.
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Esthetician Training Programs
Esthetics school is an investment of time, energy, and money. Requirements vary from state to state, but the majority of states require that you complete at least 600 hours of training. Full-time school can take an average of six months to complete, and part-time school can take anywhere from 9-12 months. The primary purpose of esthetics school is to get you ready to pass the state licensing exam. They also teach basic skills that you will need to perfect through experience and sometimes additional classes, such as giving facials, body treatments, and performing waxing. More advanced training includes learning to work with machines, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and Lasers used to rejuvenate the skin and permanently remove hair.
Esthetician Job Description
Estheticians (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Lake Forest Illinois spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.
Online Esthetician Schools
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Lake Forest IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lake Forest home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably 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 narrowed your school options 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 compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician college 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Lake Forest IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lake Forest IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a Lake Forest 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 deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Lake Forest IL employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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 Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Lake Forest
Enroll in the Right Lake Forest Esthetician Course
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Lake Forest Illinois.
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