How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Stillman Valley IL

How to Choose an Esthetician College near Stillman Valley Illinois

Stillman Valley IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Stillman Valley 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 proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. 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 relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Stillman Valley residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Stillman Valley IL Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Stillman Valley IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel 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 formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Stillman Valley IL esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Stillman Valley IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Stillman Valley IL Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Stillman Valley IL students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Stillman Valley IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Stillman Valley home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 61084 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 Stillman Valley IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Stillman Valley IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 aspiration is to open a Stillman Valley 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Stillman Valley IL businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide 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. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Stillman Valley IL?

Perhaps you live in the Stillman Valley 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.

Stillman Valley, Illinois

Stillman Valley is a village in Marion Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. It lies east of Byron, south of Rockford and west of Davis Junction. The population was 1,120 at the 2010 census, up from 1,048 in 2000. The village is located on the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad, on the old Chicago Great Western Railway before it merged and was pulled up. Also, Illinois Route 72 runs through the village. It is near the site of the first battle of the Black Hawk War of 1832. The war memorial for the Battle of Stillman's Run is located in this village.

Stillman Valley was founded by European-American settlers in north central Illinois in 1876. A creek running through the community was named after Major Stillman of the Illinois Militia who on May 14, 1832 led troops in what became the first named battle of the Black Hawk War. The battle and the creek were called "Stillman's Run" after Stillman and his men fled the battlefield in the belief that they had been attacked by a superior force of Chief Black Hawk's warriors.[4] The day after the battle, Abraham Lincoln was with the militia who buried the dead soldiers from the battle.[5] The village was named after Stillman Creek; the valley serves as the watershed for the creek, hence the name Stillman Valley.[citation needed]

The Stillman's Run Battle Site and burial ground are in present-day Stillman Valley. A large memorial to this battle was erected in 1901. It reads, in part: "Here, on May 14, 1832, the first engagement of the Black Hawk War took place. When 275 Illinois militiamen under Maj. Isaiah Stillman were put to flight by Black Hawk and his warriors."

Find the Right Esthetics College near Stillman Valley IL

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Stillman Valley IL.