How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools South Elgin IL

How to Choose an Esthetics School near South Elgin Illinois

South Elgin IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near South Elgin 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 instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat confused 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 discuss a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Elgin home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners South Elgin IL Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can 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 require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only South Elgin IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain 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, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

South Elgin IL esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 available if you want to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other South Elgin IL business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in South Elgin IL Online esthetician schools are accommodating for South Elgin IL students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed 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 profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

South Elgin IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your South Elgin home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably 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 narrowed 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 collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 60177 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many South Elgin 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 Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. 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, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with South Elgin IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar 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 see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a South Elgin 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate 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 securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with South Elgin IL businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near South Elgin IL?

Perhaps you live in the South Elgin 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.

South Elgin, Illinois

South Elgin is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,985 at the 2010 census, and estimated to be 23,000 as of 2017. In 2007, Money magazine named South Elgin as 82nd of 100 entries in its "America's Best Places To Live" edition and again in 2011 as 98th of 100 entries.

South Elgin is located at 41°59′32″N 88°18′28″W / 41.99222°N 88.30778°W / 41.99222; -88.30778 (41.992283, -88.307858),[4] in the pleasant Fox River Valley. Once populated by Native Indians, South Elgin has done well in preserving this land's history. According to the 2010 census, South Elgin has a total area of 7.157 square miles (18.54 km2), of which 6.99 square miles (18.10 km2) (or 97.67%) is land and 0.167 square miles (0.43 km2) (or 2.33%) is water.[5]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 16,100 people, 5,565 households, and 4,307 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,560.5 people per square mile (988.3/km²). There were 5,657 housing units at an average density of 899.7 per square mile (347.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 86.02% White, 2.58% African American, 0.17% Native American, 5.47% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.88% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.34% of the population.

Pick the Right Esthetics School near South Elgin IL

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in South Elgin IL.