How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Niles IL

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Niles Illinois

Niles IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Niles IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training 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 a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Niles home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Niles IL Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application 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 really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Niles IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Niles IL esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Niles 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. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Niles IL Online esthetician classes are convenient for Niles IL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Programs

Niles IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Niles residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 60714 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Niles IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Niles IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with 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 Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 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 vision is to launch a Niles IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check 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 talents on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that he or she gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Niles IL businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Niles IL?

Perhaps you live in the Niles 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.

Niles, Illinois

Niles is a village in Maine and Niles townships, Cook County, Illinois, United States, directly neighboring the City of Chicagos far northwest border. The 2010 population from the U.S. Census Bureau was 29,803.[5] The current population (2016) is 29,617. The current mayor of Niles is Andrew Przybylo.[6]

Joseph Curtis settled in what became Niles in 1827, and John Dewes followed in 1831.[7] The settlement was originally called "Dutchman's Point", referring to German immigrants who followed, including John Plank of Hesse-Darmstadt (who sold whiskey to passing travelers and remaining Native Americans) and the Ebinger brothers of Stuttgart, as well as John Schadiger, Julius Perren, John-Jackson Ruland (d. 1880) and Revolutionary war soldier John Ketchum.

Many people of Native American ancestry lived in the area; Chief Blackhawk reportedly often smoked a peace pipe with Christian Ebinger. Article 4 of the Second Treaty of Prairie du Chien, signed on July 29, 1829 between the United States government and several chiefs of the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatamie left particular tracts of land to individuals of mixed-Native American ancestry. Among them were Billy Caldwell, Victoria Pothier, and Jane Miranda. Land titled to these individuals eventually established part of the border of Niles.[8] During the 1832 Black Hawk War, one band of Native Americans may have reached Billy Caldwell's property as part of an attempt to reclaim land lost to the United States. Hostilities ended in 1833, and most Native Americans immediately left, moving west of the Mississippi River[8]

Choose the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Niles IL

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive 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 certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Niles IL.