How to Pick the Best Esthetician College Near Park Forest Illinois
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Park Forest IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the contrast 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 find a school that is within driving distance of your Park Forest home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of programs are offered.
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Esthetics 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 Park Forest Illinois nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Park Forest IL students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Park Forest residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must 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 School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you pick 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 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 many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Park Forest 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 Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Park Forest IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, 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 submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 imperative that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Park 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. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Park Forest IL businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Park Forest
Enroll in the Best Park Forest Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile 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 reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Park Forest Illinois.
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