How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Grant Park IL

How to Select an Esthetician College near Grant Park Illinois

Grant Park IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Grant Park IL, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Grant Park home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Grant Park IL Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Grant Park IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Grant Park IL esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues 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 generally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Grant Park IL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified 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 review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Grant Park IL Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Grant Park IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Grant Park IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Grant Park residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, 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 may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 60940 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Grant Park IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent 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 sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Grant Park IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Grant Park IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that she or he gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Grant Park IL employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Grant Park IL?

Perhaps you live in the Grant Park 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.

Grant Park, Illinois

Grant Park is a village in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. Grant Park was incorporated in 1883.[3] In 2010, Grant Park had a population of 1,331.[4] It is part of the Kankakee–Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area Much of the town was destroyed by a cyclone in 1912, according to Frank Leslie's Weekly magazine, which ran pictures.

According to the 2010 census, Grant Park has a total area of 3.436 square miles (8.90 km2), of which 3.41 square miles (8.83 km2) (or 99.24%) is land and 0.026 square miles (0.07 km2) (or 0.76%) is water.[6]

According to the 2000 census,[8] there were 1,358 people, 497 households, and 389 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,196.2 people per square mile (845.7/km²). There were 517 housing units at an average density of 836.1 per square mile (322.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.57% White, 0.07% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.81% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.72% of the population.

Find the Right Esthetician School near Grant Park IL

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive 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 use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down 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 Grant Park IL.