How to Pick the Right Aesthetician School Near West Chicago Illinois
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near West Chicago IL, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your West Chicago home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
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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 West Chicago Illinois nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician programs are convenient for West Chicago IL students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your West Chicago residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you select 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 assuring a quality 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 some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of West Chicago IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with West Chicago IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective 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 West Chicago 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that she or he receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with West Chicago IL employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask 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 Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in West Chicago
Enroll in the Right West Chicago Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in West Chicago Illinois.
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