How to Enroll In the Right Aesthetician Training Program Near Romeoville Illinois
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Romeoville IL, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much 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 Romeoville residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of training programs are available.
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Esthetics Degrees
There are primarily two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Romeoville IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it's essential to make certain that it's approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Esthetician Programs
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Romeoville IL students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Romeoville residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting 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 Romeoville IL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Romeoville IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, contact 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 Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 start a Romeoville 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 pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes 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 program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that she or he receives help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Romeoville IL employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.
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Enroll in the Best Romeoville Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Romeoville Illinois.
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