How to Select the Best Aesthetician College Near Mount Prospect Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Mount Prospect IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial 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 intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Mount Prospect home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of training programs are offered.

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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 Mount Prospect 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 Esthetics Programs

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Mount Prospect IL students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Mount Prospect home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Mount Prospect IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Mount Prospect IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative 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 desire is to open a Mount Prospect IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Mount Prospect IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be available.

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Enroll in the Right Mount Prospect Esthetician Course

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Mount Prospect Illinois.

 

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