How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools South Pekin IL

How to Select an Esthetics Course near South Pekin Illinois

South Pekin IL esthetician client with cucumber facialNow that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near South Pekin IL, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Pekin home. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about 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 courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners South Pekin ILCosmetology 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 numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many 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. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only South Pekin IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

South Pekin IL esthetician client with face maskThere are essentially 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 generally take 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other South Pekin IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in South Pekin ILOnline esthetician programs are advantageous for South Pekin IL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

South Pekin IL models benefit from esthetic treatmentsBelow is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your South Pekin home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 61564 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of South Pekin IL employers 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?  Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with South Pekin 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 may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some 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 instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a South Pekin IL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with South Pekin IL employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near South Pekin IL?

Perhaps you live in the South Pekin 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.

South Pekin, Illinois

South Pekin was incorporated on April 12, 1917, five miles south of Pekin in an area previously known as "McFadden Flats". The village is located in Sections 27 and 34 of Cincinnati Township, which was formed in 1850. South Pekin owes its origin to the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, as a railway station.

Settlement in the South Pekin area began in the 1820s with the first arrival of white settlers to what would soon become Tazewell County. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad made a series of corporate decisions that eventually led to the founding of the village. The railroad constructed its line from Nelson, Illinois to Peoria in 1901. In 1904, C&NW discovered a large coalfield near Staunton in Macoupin County. A few years later, C&NW decided to build a line of access to the coal field and carry freight between Chicago and St. Louis. By March 1912, the right of way had been purchased and construction was started. C&NW needed a water, refueling, and repair station midway on the new line. The first choice for the location of this new station was Green Valley, Illinois, but protests from residents there prompted a change of plans. A new location was chosen, and the railroad and its employees began to build the new station that became South Pekin. The first permanent resident, Al Casper arrived with his family on Christmas Day, 1912. As more families arrived, the railroad gave them boxcars to use as homes on a location that was known as McFadden Flats. The Village of South Pekin was incorporated on April 12, 1917.

The economic possibilities that came with the railroad caused business leaders in Pekin to be very interested to pull the switch yard closer and get the new "railroad people" with steady work and good pay in their town. Ultimately most employees opted to settle close to the yard which was already located in South Pekin. In addition to the numerous blue collar jobs the C&NW operation also brought management positions and erected a three story masonry office building (Demolished near the beginning of the 21st century). South Pekin was a home terminal for Chicago and Northwestern Railroad crews in the twentieth century. Trains were made up in the middle of the town in a "Kick" Yard. After the trains were put together, crews would get on the train and proceed south to East St. Louis or north to Nelson, where they would be relieved and allowed to sleep for the next tour of operation. The Chicago and Northwestern also maintained a bunkhouse in South Pekin where crews could stop for the night. In the 1970s train crews would go onward through Nelson and proceed to Proviso (a suburb of Chicago) or to Clinton, Iowa. At times there were as many as 20 + trains per day either made up at South Pekin or that went through South Pekin.

Pick the Right Esthetician College near South Pekin IL

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in South Pekin IL.

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