How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools River Grove IL

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

River Grove IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near River Grove IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further about 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 River Grove residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners River Grove IL Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded 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. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only River Grove IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as 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 Degrees and Certificates

River Grove IL esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways offered to obtain 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 normally 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other River Grove IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in River Grove IL Online esthetician programs are accommodating for River Grove IL students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. 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 Esthetics Programs

River Grove IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your River Grove home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 60171 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous River Grove IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with River Grove IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with 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 Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 launch a River Grove IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with River Grove IL businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near River Grove IL?

Perhaps you live in the River Grove 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.

Fox River Grove, Illinois

Pioneers built homesteads in the Fox River Valley between 1830 and 1860. They were originally attracted to the area that would become Fox River Grove for its beautiful scenery, abundance of clear water and opportunity for hydroelectric power provided by the Fox River.

The Ojibwe people continued to winter in the region into the 1860s. The women traded beadwork and purses with local settlers while the men trapped muskrat and mink selling the pelts in nearby Barrington, Illinois. The men also made fence posts for local farmers. When spring came they traveled north to their summer lands in Wisconsin.

In 1850, Frank Opatrny purchased 80 acres (320,000 m2) of land on the southern shore of the Fox River. The area gained a reputation with city dwellers as a vacation spot. Chicagoans were transported by livery bus from the Illinois & Wisconsin Railroad station in neighboring Cary, Illinois. In 1899 Eman Opatrny bought the land from his father Frank Opatrny. Eman decided to transform the family homestead into a picnic area, and the Fox River Picnic Grove was born.

Select the Right Esthetician Program near River Grove IL

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in River Grove IL.