How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Park Forest IL

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Course near Park Forest Illinois

Park Forest IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Park Forest IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Park Forest home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily 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 examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Park Forest IL Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Park Forest IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers 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 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 certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Park Forest IL esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Park Forest IL business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Park Forest IL Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Park Forest IL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Park Forest IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list 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 Park Forest residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary 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 even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the 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 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 60466 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Park Forest IL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Park Forest IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 aspiration is to start a Park Forest IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that he or she receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Park Forest IL businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Park Forest IL?

Perhaps you live in the Park Forest 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.

Park Forest, Illinois

Park Forest is a village located south of Chicago in Cook and Will counties, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the village had a population of 21,975.[3] Park Forest is bordered by Olympia Fields to the north, Chicago Heights to the east, University Park to the south (formerly Park Forest South), and Richton Park and Matteson to the west.

Developers Nathan Manilow, Carroll F. Sweet and Philip M. Klutznick held a press conference in the Palmer House in Chicago on October 28, 1946, to announce the planned development of a new self-governing community in Chicago's south suburbs. This project, soon to be referred to as Park Forest, was to be developed by American Community Builders (ACB). The village of Park Forest was partly designed by town planner Elbert Peets in the tradition of planned communities around the nation to provide housing for veterans returning from World War II.

Studs Terkel, in his oral history of World War II, The Good War,[4] says Park Forest and other such middle-class suburbs grew out of the new prosperity after the war. First he quotes an unnamed GI, "The war changed our whole idea of how we wanted to live when we came back. We set our sights pretty high. . . . I am now what you'd call middle class." Terkel goes on: "The suburb, until [about 1946], had been the exclusive domain of the 'upper class.' It was where the rich lived. The rest of us were neighborhood folk. At war's end, a new kind of suburb came into being. . . . Thanks to the GI bill, two new names were added to American folksay: Levittown and Park Forest.

Choose the Right Esthetician College near Park Forest IL

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Park Forest IL.