How to Pick the Best Esthetician School Near Limestone Illinois
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Limestone IL, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Limestone residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the best option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetics Training Requirements
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 Limestone 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 Classes
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Limestone IL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Limestone home, in addition to the price 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you choose 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Limestone IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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 connections with Limestone IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Limestone IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots 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 developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Limestone IL businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Limestone
Enroll in the Right Limestone Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Limestone Illinois.
Limestone Esthetician Courses | Limestone Esthetician Training