How to Select the Best Esthetician Program Near Westchester Illinois
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Westchester IL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Westchester home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of training programs are available.
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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Westchester IL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it's important to make sure that it's approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Westchester IL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Westchester home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Westchester IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent 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. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Westchester IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, 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 Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Westchester IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Westchester IL businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Westchester
Enroll in the Right Westchester Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Westchester Illinois.
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