Esthetician Schools Near Me Chicago IL 60601 Archives - Find Esthetician Schools Near You

How to Enroll In an Esthetics School near Chicago Illinois

Chicago IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Chicago IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Chicago residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Chicago IL Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves 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 become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Chicago IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Chicago IL esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Chicago IL business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Chicago IL Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Chicago IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Chicago IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Chicago home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 60601 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Chicago IL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. 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, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Chicago IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose 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 open a Chicago IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Chicago IL businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Chicago IL?

Perhaps you live in the Chicago 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.

Chicago

Chicago (/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ ( listen), locally also /-ˈkɔː-/), formally the City of Chicago, is located on the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan, and is the third most populous city in the United States. As of the 2017 census-estimate, Chicago has a population of 2,716,450, which makes it the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States. It is the county seat of Cook County, the second most populous county in the U.S. Chicago is the principal city of the Chicago metropolitan area, which is often referred to as "Chicagoland." The Chicago metropolitan area has nearly 10 million people, is the third-largest in the United States, the fourth largest in North America, and the third largest metropolitan area in the world by land area.

Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century.[6] After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed several square miles and left more than 100,000 homeless, the city made a concerted effort to rebuild.[7] The construction boom accelerated population growth throughout the following decades, and by 1900 Chicago was one of the five largest cities in the world.[8] During this period, Chicago made noted contributions to urban planning and zoning standards, including new construction styles (including the Chicago School of architecture), the development of the City Beautiful Movement, and the steel-framed skyscraper.[9][10]

Positioned along Lake Michigan, the city is an international hub for finance, commerce, industry, technology, telecommunications, and transportation. The city saw the creation of the first standardized futures contracts at the Chicago Board of Trade; which today is the largest and most diverse derivatives market in the world, generating 20% of all volume in commodities and financial futures.[11]O'Hare International Airport is the one of the busiest airports in the world, and the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and railroad freight.[12] In 2012, Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network,[13] and it ranked seventh in the entire world in the 2017 Global Cities Index.[14] Chicago has the fourth-largest gross metropolitan product in the world—generating about $670.5 billion according to September 2017 estimates—ranking it after the metropolitan areas of Tokyo, New York City, and Los Angeles, and ranking ahead of number five London and number six Paris.[15] Chicago has one of the world's largest and most diversified and balanced economies, not being dependent on any one industry, with no single industry employing more than 14% of the workforce.[16]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics School near Chicago IL

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Chicago IL.