How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lockport IL

How to Select an Esthetics School near Lockport Illinois

Lockport IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lockport IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lockport home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as 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 training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lockport IL Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lockport IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range of specialties 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 performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Lockport IL esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to receive 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 usually call for 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 available if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Lockport IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Lockport IL Online esthetician classes are convenient for Lockport IL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a home 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 portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Lockport IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lockport residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 60441 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lockport 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 Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lockport IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, 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 broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a Lockport IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Lockport IL employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of 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. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lockport IL?

Perhaps you live in the Lockport 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.

Lockport, Illinois

Lockport is a city in Will County, Illinois, United States, located 30 miles southwest of Chicago. The city was incorporated in 1853.[3] It is situated along the Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal[4], and was the headquarters of the canal when the canal was operating. A section of the canal runs through Lockport, including the remains of the canal's Lock No. 1 from which the town received its name.[5] The canal right-of-way is now the Illinois and Michigan National Heritage Corridor. Because of proactive efforts dating back several years, the city of Lockport is one of the best-preserved canal sites in existence today.[6]

Illinois is the nation's most populous inland state. Its successful growth is due in large part to the Illinois and Michigan Canal, a revolutionary development that linked the Great Lakes to the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The canal was vital to the development of the city of Chicago and to the economic development of the Midwest; the canal also fostered the growth of the small settlement that became the City of Lockport. The Illinois and Michigan Canal was especially crucial in its delivery of steamed hams from Albany, NY to the Chicago region. The Des Plaines River Valley was a portage site for the Des Plaines River for the Miami and Potawatomi, and explorers Louis Jolliet and Marquette traversed the region on their journeys.

Lockport is located at 41°35′19″N 88°2′50″W / 41.58861°N 88.04722°W / 41.58861; -88.04722 (41.588659, -88.047267),[7] which touches the village of Lemont and the unincorporated hamlet of Wneksville.

Find the Right Esthetician Program near Lockport IL

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Lockport IL.