How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lake Bluff IL

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Program near Lake Bluff Illinois

Lake Bluff IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lake Bluff IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lake Bluff home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about 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 courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lake Bluff IL Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be 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 kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lake Bluff IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, 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 earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Lake Bluff IL esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Lake Bluff IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Lake Bluff IL Online esthetician classes are convenient for Lake Bluff IL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Lake Bluff IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lake Bluff home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 60044 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Lake Bluff IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those 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 field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lake Bluff IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 desire is to start a Lake Bluff 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she receives support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Lake Bluff IL employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lake Bluff IL?

Perhaps you live in the Lake Bluff 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.

Lake Bluff, Illinois

Lake Bluff is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the North Shore of Lake Michigan, and is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. As of 2015, the population was 7,469.[3]

The first settler family to claim land within the area now part of Lake Bluff arrived in 1836. They claimed 100 acres of land extending from the lake west to the Green Bay Trail. In 1849, a few residents left to seek their fortune in the California gold rush. In 1837, William and Mary Dwyer claimed the land just north of the former Central School. They opened and operated a stage coach stop and tavern along the Green Bay Trail. Some of the other early settlers were Henry and Angeline Ostrander, James Cole and William Whitnell.

In 1855, the first railroad through Lake County was completed, running from Chicago through the county line. Henry Ostrander owned the land where the depot was to be placed, and he agreed to donate the site if the depot were called "Rockland." Therefore, this area, known previously as the Dwyer Settlement and Oak Hill, became Rockland, the only stop between Highland Park and Waukegan. Rockland had a post office and general store on Mawman Avenue with a small school and church located west of the tracks near Green Bay Road.

Select the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Lake Bluff IL

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lake Bluff IL.