How to Select the Right Esthetician College Near Skokie Illinois

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Skokie IL, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Skokie home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of courses 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Skokie Illinois clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:

• Assessing a patient’s needs
• Chemical peels
• Laser treatments
• Waxing
• Facials
• Massage of the head and neck
• Microdermabrasion

Online Esthetician Schools

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Skokie IL students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Skokie home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Skokie IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Skokie IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total 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, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 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 dream is to launch a Skokie IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative 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 maintain relationships with Skokie IL employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Skokie

Enroll in the Right Skokie Esthetician Training

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Skokie Illinois.

 

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