How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools River Forest IL

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near River Forest Illinois

River Forest IL esthetician client with cucumber facialOnce you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near River Forest IL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your River Forest home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the best choice. There are a number of other factors 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 looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners River Forest ILCosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course 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 word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only River Forest IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

River Forest IL esthetician client with face maskThere are basically two options available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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 prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other River Forest IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in River Forest ILOnline esthetician programs are convenient for River Forest IL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes

River Forest IL models benefit from esthetic treatmentsFollowing is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your River Forest residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 60305 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous River Forest IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with River Forest IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full 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 particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a River Forest IL beauty salon, then you need 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 provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with River Forest IL businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near River Forest IL?

Perhaps you live in the River Forest 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.

River Forest, Illinois

River Forest is a suburban village adjacent to Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, U.S. Two universities make their home in River Forest, Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago. The village is closely tied to the larger neighboring community of Oak Park. There are significant architectural designs located in River Forest such as the Winslow House by Frank Lloyd Wright. The population of the village was 11,172 at the 2010 census.[3]

According to the 2010 census, River Forest has a total area of 2.482 square miles (6.43 km2), of which 2.48 square miles (6.42 km2) (or 99.92%) is land and 0.002 square miles (0.01 km2) (or 0.08%) is water.[4]

There are two public elementary schools, Lincoln Elementary School and Willard Elementary School, and one public middle school, Roosevelt Middle School. The elementary and middle schools are in River Forest Public Schools District 90. River Forest shares a high school with Oak Park, known as Oak Park and River Forest High School, located in Oak Park.[5]

Pick the Right Esthetician College near River Forest IL

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget 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 data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, 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 start your new career as a professional esthetician in River Forest IL.

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