How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Litchfield IL

How to Pick an Esthetician School near Litchfield Illinois

Litchfield IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Litchfield IL, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Litchfield home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Litchfield IL Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Litchfield IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Litchfield IL esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Litchfield IL business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, 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 certain that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Litchfield IL Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Litchfield IL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Litchfield IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series 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 Litchfield residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 62056 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Litchfield IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals 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 a good beginning. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Litchfield IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If 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 vision is to launch a Litchfield 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Litchfield IL businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded 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 office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Litchfield IL?

Perhaps you live in the Litchfield 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.

Litchfield, Illinois

Litchfield is a city in Montgomery County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,939 at the 2010 census,[5] and 6,588 in 2009 and 7,012 in 2015. It is located in south central Illinois, south of Springfield and part of the Metro-East region of St. Louis.

Litchfield was developed in 1853 by Montgomery County, Illinois surveyors in preparation for the arrival of the Alton Terri Haute Railroad Company. In 1854, When news spread of the railroad bypassing nearby Hardinsburg, Illinois and going through Litchfield, close to 50 residents moved their residence on rollers across the prairie and settled them in Litchfield near the railroad. Only a small cemetery remains of Hardinsburg.

The town was named after Electus Backus Litchfield, a financier, who brought the railroad to Litchfield. The town was originally called Huntsville after it was thought that Railroad Chief Engineer George Hunt was going to be the one to bring in the railroad.

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near Litchfield IL

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Litchfield IL.