How to Pick the Best Esthetician College Near Westmont Illinois

Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Westmont IL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial 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 basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Westmont residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.

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Esthetician 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 Westmont 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 Esthetics Schools

Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Westmont IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging 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 home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Westmont residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Westmont IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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 companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Westmont IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Westmont IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that she or he receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Westmont IL businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out 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 Assistance Offered?  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. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered.

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Enroll in the Right Westmont Esthetician Program

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative 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. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Westmont Illinois.

 

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