How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Ringwood IL

How to Select an Esthetician Program near Ringwood Illinois

Ringwood IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Ringwood IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the difference 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 discuss a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Ringwood home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning 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 kinds of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Ringwood IL Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Ringwood IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names 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 stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Ringwood IL esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Ringwood IL business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Ringwood IL Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Ringwood IL students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Ringwood IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Ringwood home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 60072 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Ringwood 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 considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Ringwood IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific 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 decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Ringwood IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Ringwood IL employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Ringwood IL?

Perhaps you live in the Ringwood 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.

Ringwood, Illinois

The Ringwood post office was established in the 1845 to provide post office boxes for local industrial firms and residents located on the far northern edge of McHenry. The small village was platted in 1854, allowing the installation of roads, infrastructure, public amenities and allowing residents to legally own plots of land for agricultural use, and the construction of homes and business. Ringwood was incorporated as a village on the 15 November 1994 in an attempt to maintain its small-town environment.[4]

As of the census of 2010,[8] there were 836 people. The population density was 216.6 people per square mile (83.6/km²). There were 297 housing units at an average density of 76.9 per square mile (29.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.2% White, 0.8% African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3% of the population.[8]

In the village, the population was spread out with 26.9% (225) under the age of 18, 73.0% (611) over the age of 18, 3.2% (27) from 20 to 24, 5.5% (46) from 25 to 34, 27.6% (231) from 35 to 49, 23.3% (195) from 50 to 64, and 10.2% (85) were aged 65 or more. The median age was 42.4 years of age. 50.1% (419) were male, and 49.9 (417) were female.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics College near Ringwood IL

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Ringwood IL.