How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician Classes Near Norwood Park Illinois
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Norwood Park IL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer 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 Norwood Park home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal option. There are several other qualifications 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 considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.
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Esthetician Training Programs
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Norwood Park Illinois nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Norwood Park IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Norwood Park home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician training program 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Norwood Park IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Norwood Park 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 propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention 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 aspiration is to start a Norwood Park 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 require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Norwood Park IL businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Norwood Park
Enroll in the Best Norwood Park Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be 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 information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down 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 ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Norwood Park Illinois.
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