How to Choose the Best Aesthetician Training Program Near Urbana Illinois
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Urbana IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate 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 Urbana home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetics Training Programs
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Urbana Illinois nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Schools
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Urbana IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Urbana residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Urbana IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Urbana IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult 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 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 launch a Urbana IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Urbana IL employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Urbana
Enroll in the Right Urbana Esthetician Course
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Urbana Illinois.