How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Garden Prairie IL

How to Choose an Esthetics School near Garden Prairie Illinois

Garden Prairie IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Garden Prairie IL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Garden Prairie home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Garden Prairie IL Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Garden Prairie IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Garden Prairie IL esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Garden Prairie IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Garden Prairie IL Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Garden Prairie IL students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary 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 Esthetician Schools

Garden Prairie IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Garden Prairie residence, in addition to the expense 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 narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 61038 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Garden Prairie IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating 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 Garden Prairie IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 start a Garden Prairie IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Garden Prairie IL businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Garden Prairie IL?

Perhaps you live in the Garden Prairie Illinois area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Silphium (genus)

Members of the genus, commonly known as rosinweeds, are herbaceous perennial plants growing to 0.2 m (8 in) to more than 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) tall, with yellow (rarely white) flowerheads. The name of the genus comes from the Ancient Greek word for a North African plant whose identity has been lost, though it is known its gum or juice was prized by the ancients as a medicine and a condiment.[3]

Choose the Right Esthetician College near Garden Prairie IL

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Garden Prairie IL.