How to Select the Best Esthetician School Near Westchester Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Westchester IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Westchester home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are available.

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Esthetics 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Westchester Illinois spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.

Online Esthetician Courses

Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Westchester IL students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Westchester residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Westchester 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 an Excellent Reputation?  Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Westchester IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact 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 Specialty?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a Westchester IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Westchester IL employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be available.

More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Westchester

Enroll in the Right Westchester Esthetician Training

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Westchester Illinois.

 

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