How to Choose the Best Esthetician Course Near Northbrook Illinois

Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Northbrook IL, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Northbrook home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.

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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 Northbrook 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 Courses

Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Northbrook IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools

Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Northbrook home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices 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 put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Northbrook IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each esthetician school 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. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Northbrook IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, 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. Finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to open a Northbrook IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Northbrook IL businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  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. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be available.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Northbrook

Enroll in the Best Northbrook Esthetician Training

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Northbrook Illinois.

 

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