How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Towanda IL

How to Select an Esthetics Program near Towanda Illinois

Towanda IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Towanda IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather 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 type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Towanda home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about 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.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Towanda IL Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Towanda IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Towanda IL esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered 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 usually 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Towanda IL business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Towanda IL Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Towanda IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Towanda IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Towanda home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 61776 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Towanda IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Towanda IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult 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, concentrating 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 desire is to start a Towanda IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Towanda IL businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all 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. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Towanda IL?

Perhaps you live in the Towanda 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.

Towanda, Illinois

Towanda, Illinois, was named for Towanda in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. The land on which Towanda stands was first entered by Charles Badeau who had graduated from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, in 1840, and was employed as the assistant to the chief engineer of what was then the Alton and Springfield Railroad.[3] Because in Illinois at that time it was illegal for railroads or their officials to establish new towns, much of the land was then transferred to two McLean County real estate developers Jesse W. Fell (November 10, 1808 – February 22, 1887) and Charles W. Holder (September 29, 1819 - April 30, 1900). These two men laid out the town of Towanda and filed the plat on December 7, 1854.[4] Jesse W. Fell, a native of Chester County in southeastern Pennsylvania, was a widely known land dealer in Central Illinois who played major role in founding many Illinois towns including Clinton, Dwight, Normal, Pontiac, and who was the driving force behind the establishment of the school that would become Illinois State University [5] Holder was linked with Fell in many of his town founding schemes including Normal and Larchwood in Lyon County, Iowa; the McLean County town of Holder is named in his honor. Fell association with the railroad goes back to the time when it was surveyed. On at least two occasions he was able to alter the path of the railroad to suit his own interests: organizing a bend in the road so it would pass through his town of Normal[6] and making a slight change in the survey so it would pass through the Livingston County town of Pontiac, where he had interests rather than the rival town of Richmond.[7] Shortly after Towanda was laid out most of the land was back in the hands of the railroad's land agent English-born Charles Roadnight (1814-?). Roadnight built the first warehouse in Towanda; he settled in Bloomington, had a farm in Dwight, and in 1858 later became treasurer of what was then the Chicago and Alton Railroad.[8]

Central Illinois towns of the 1830s, such as Bloomington, Lexington, Leroy and Pontiac, were usually built around a central square. In contrast, most towns of the 1850s, like Towanda, were oriented toward the railroad tracks. In the case of Towanda a diagonal main street was established parallel to the railroad, with the main building lots on only one side; the effect was to have the commercial establishments look across the street toward the tracks.[9] This was a common design in newly established towns along the Chicago and Alton Railroad and may be found, with slight variations, in places like Dwight, Gardner, Odell and Mclean; Fell's town of Normal, established at the same time as Towanda, was to have had exactly the same arrangement; except that in Normal, the original street paralleling the railroad, quickly lost its importance to the reverse side of the block. This standard town plan often left town designers with odd triangular pieces of land, where the diagonal street met with other streets which were aligned north-south or east-west. These triangles are often still in public hands. In the case of Towanda, Fell gave each of two triangular areas, one on either side of the tracks, to the town. On the Original deed they were given the name "plaza" and both have always served the city as parks.[10]

Alex Warren built the first residence in the new town and James Alexander the first warehouse. These were soon followed by Wesley Bishop's grocery and Frank Henderson's dry goods store.[11] The largest building was a two-story structure built by Charles Roadnight, which was fifty by one hundred feet; the first floor was used for stores and the second as a meeting toom. It burned about 1900.[12] In 1873-1874, wooden sidewalks were being built, followed by brick sidewalks in 1891, and concrete walkways in 1916. The town was officially incorporated in 1870. The first jail was built in the North Park and replaced at least once; the structure can not have been very substantial because in 1901 the town fathers were forced to appoint a committee to inquire into what had happened to the jail.[13] Perhaps the most exciting event in the town's history was the attack on the Buena Vista Tavern. A group of local women took exception to the amount of money their menfolk were spending on whiskey. The assmebled at the hardware store where they were issued hatchets. They then marched into the Buena Vista smashing bottles, threatening the barman, and hurling whatever they could find through the tavern windows. Each of the women was fined one dollar.[14]

Select the Right Esthetics College near Towanda IL

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Towanda IL.