How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Princeton IL

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Training Program near Princeton Illinois

Princeton 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 Princeton IL, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Princeton home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within 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 Princeton IL Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word 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, most states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Princeton IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Princeton IL esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Princeton IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Princeton IL Online esthetician schools are convenient for Princeton IL students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Princeton IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Princeton residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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 program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 61356 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Princeton IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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 regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Princeton IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Princeton IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included 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 growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Princeton IL employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide 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 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 meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Princeton IL?

Perhaps you live in the Princeton 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.

Princeton, Illinois

Princeton is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area. Due to its location where Interstate 80 meets the Amtrak system, as well as its well-preserved main street and historic housing stock, Princeton has become a popular satellite town for Chicago and the Quad Cities.[citation needed]

Bureau County was a New England settlement. The original founders of Princeton consisted entirely of settlers from New England. These people were "Yankees," descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s. They were part of a wave of New England farmers who headed west into what was then the wilds of the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. Most of them arrived as a result of the completion of the Erie Canal.[4][5] When they arrived in what is now Bureau County there was nothing but a virgin forest and wild prairie, the New Englanders laid out farms, constructed roads, erected government buildings and established post routes. They brought with them many of their Yankee New England values, such as a passion for education, fueling the establishment of many schools, as well as staunch support for abolitionism. They were mostly members of the Congregationalist Church though some were Episcopalian. Culturally Bureau County, like much of northern Illinois, would be culturally very continuous with early New England culture for most of its history.[5][6][7] During the time of slavery, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad at the home of Owen Lovejoy.[8][9]

Princeton's former nickname was "The City of Elms" because of the large number of elm trees the city had during the middle of the 20th century.[citation needed] However, an epidemic struck the elm trees of Princeton and killed off almost every elm. The current slogan, "Where Tradition Meets Progress", was adopted in the mid 1960s by a contest among the city's elementary school students. The student who submitted the winning slogan was Maybeth Monroe. (photograph available)

Choose the Right Esthetics Program near Princeton IL

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the appropriate 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. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Princeton IL.