How to Find the Best Esthetician Classes Near South Holland Illinois
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near South Holland IL, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Holland residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are available.
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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two options offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other South Holland IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it's essential to make sure that it's certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Esthetician Programs
Online esthetician schools are convenient for South Holland IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the program you pick 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 portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your South Holland residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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 South Holland IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references 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 regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with South Holland IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal 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 start a South Holland 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that he or she gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with South Holland IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm 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. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.
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Enroll in the Best South Holland Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in South Holland Illinois.
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