How to Enroll In the Best Aesthetician College Near Woodstock Illinois
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Woodstock IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Woodstock residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are offered.
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Esthetician Training Requirements
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 Woodstock 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 Programs
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Woodstock IL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive 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 program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want 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 Woodstock residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Woodstock 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 a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Woodstock IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 desire is to launch a Woodstock IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate 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 important that she or he receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Woodstock IL businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Woodstock
Enroll in the Best Woodstock Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Woodstock Illinois.
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