How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Troy IL

How to Pick an Esthetics College near Troy Illinois

Troy IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Troy 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 proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Troy home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Troy IL Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically 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 take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Troy IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Troy IL esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Troy IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Troy IL Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Troy IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes

Troy IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Troy home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 62294 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Troy IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent 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 referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Troy IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Troy 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that she or he gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Troy IL employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Troy IL?

Perhaps you live in the Troy 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.

Troy, Illinois

Troy is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its namesake in Lincoln County, Missouri is also part of this MSA, making it (along with the two O'Fallons in Illinois and Missouri) one of the few pairs of like-named municipalities to be part of the same MSA.

According to the 2010 census, Troy has a total area of 5.349 square miles (13.85 km2), of which 5.29 square miles (13.70 km2) (or 98.9%) is land and 0.059 square miles (0.15 km2) (or 1.1%) is water.[6]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 8,524 people, 3,100 households, and 2,356 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,037.6 people per square mile (787.4/km²). There were 3,201 housing units at an average density of 765.2 per square mile (295.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.48% White, 1.48% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.38% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population.

Find the Right Esthetician Program near Troy IL

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Troy IL.