How to Find the Best Esthetician Training Near Streamwood Illinois
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Streamwood IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast 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 intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Streamwood home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are available.
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Esthetician Degrees
There are primarily two options available to receive 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 typically call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Streamwood IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it's imperative to make sure that it's recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Streamwood IL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Streamwood residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must 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 Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Streamwood IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Streamwood IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Streamwood IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that she or he receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Streamwood IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at 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 verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be available.
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Enroll in the Right Streamwood Esthetician Program
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Streamwood Illinois.
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