How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools La Grange IL

How to Choose an Esthetician Program near La Grange Illinois

La Grange IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near La Grange IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your La Grange home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners La Grange IL Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive 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 actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only La Grange IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

La Grange IL esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered 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 normally 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other La Grange IL business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in La Grange IL Online esthetician programs are advantageous for La Grange IL students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

La Grange IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your La Grange residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 60525 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many La Grange IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent 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 employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with La Grange IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If 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 vision is to start a La Grange IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with La Grange IL businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs 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 verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of 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. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near La Grange IL?

Perhaps you live in the La Grange 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.

La Grange, Illinois

The village of La Grange (/ləɡreɪndʒ/) (often spelled LaGrange), a suburb of Chicago, is a village in Cook County, in the U.S. state of Illinois.[7] The population was 15,550 at the 2010 census.[8]

The area around La Grange was first settled in the 1830s, when Chicago residents moved out to the west due to the rapid population increase in the city in the decade since its incorporation. The first settler, Robert Leitch, came to the area in 1830, seven years before the City of Chicago was incorporated. La Grange's location, at approximately 13 miles (21 km) from the Chicago Loop, is not considered far from the city by today's standards, but in that time the residents enjoyed the peace of rural life without much communication with urban residents.

The village was officially incorporated on June 11, 1879. It was founded by Franklin Dwight Cossitt, who was born in Granby, Connecticut, and raised in Tennessee, and moved to Chicago in 1862 where he built a successful wholesale grocery business.

Select the Right Esthetics Vocational School near La Grange IL

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in La Grange IL.