How to Choose the Best Aesthetician Training Near Prospect Heights Illinois
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Prospect Heights IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Prospect Heights residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of courses are available.
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Esthetician 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 Prospect Heights 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 Schools
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Prospect Heights IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount 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 important that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Prospect Heights home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more 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 every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, 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 important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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, a number of Prospect Heights IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Prospect Heights IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, 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. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? 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 specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective 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 dream is to start a Prospect Heights 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 ranked 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? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask 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 make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Prospect Heights IL employers that are looking for qualified 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. In addition, 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? The majority of 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. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be provided.
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Enroll in the Right Prospect Heights Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require 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 data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Prospect Heights Illinois.
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