How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Oak Park IL

How to Pick an Esthetics School near Oak Park Illinois

Oak Park IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Oak Park IL, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oak Park residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Oak Park IL Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive 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 term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Oak Park IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed 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 practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing 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 become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Oak Park IL esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Oak Park IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Oak Park IL Online esthetician programs are convenient for Oak Park IL students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

Oak Park IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Oak Park home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 60301 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Oak Park IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Oak Park IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see 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 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Oak 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that he or she receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Oak Park IL employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Oak Park IL?

Perhaps you live in the Oak 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.

Oak Park, Illinois

Oak Park is a village adjacent to the West Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the 29th largest municipality in Illinois as measured by population in the 2010 U.S. census.[3] As of the 2010 United States Census the village had a population of 51,878.[4]

Oak Park was settled beginning in the 1830s, with rapid growth later in the 19th century and early 20th century. It incorporated in 1902, breaking off from Cicero. Development was spurred by railroads and street cars connecting the village to jobs in Chicago. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his wife settled here in 1889. Population peaked at 66,015 in 1940. Smaller families led to falling population in the same number of homes and apartments. In the 1960s, Oak Park faced the challenge of racial integration, devising many strategies to integrate rather than re-segregate the village. Oak Park includes three historic districts for the historic homes: Ridgeland, Frank Lloyd Wright and Seward Gunderson, reflecting the focus on historic preservation.

In 1835, Joseph Kettlestrings, an immigrant from England, purchased 172 acres (70 ha)[5] of land just west of Chicago for a farm and their home. Once their children were born, they moved to Chicago for the schools in 1843, and moved back again in 1855 to build a more substantial home a bit east on their quarter section of land. More farmers and settlers had entered the area. Their land was called by several names locally, including Oak Ridge. When the first post office was set up, it could not use the name Oak Ridge as another post office was using that name in Illinois, so the post office chose Oak Park, and that name became the name for the settlement as it grew, and for the town when it incorporated in 1902.[5]

Select the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Oak Park IL

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Oak Park IL.