How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Waukegan IL

How to Enroll In an Esthetician College near Waukegan Illinois

Waukegan IL esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Waukegan IL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Waukegan home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning 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.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Waukegan IL Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through 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 term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may 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 take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Waukegan IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Waukegan IL esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Waukegan IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Waukegan IL Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Waukegan IL students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Waukegan IL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Waukegan residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 60079 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Waukegan IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Waukegan IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted 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 areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative 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 vision is to start a Waukegan IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Waukegan IL businesses 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 establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask 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 Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Waukegan IL?

Perhaps you live in the Waukegan 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.

Waukegan, Illinois

Waukegan /wɔːˈkiːɡən/ is the largest city in and the county seat of Lake County, Illinois, United States.[1] It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area, located approximately 36 miles north of Downtown Chicago. As of the 2013 census estimate, Waukegan had a population of 88,826,[2] which makes it the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population. Waukegan is a blue collar town that formerly served as an important industrial hub in the Chicago metropolitan area.

The site of present-day Waukegan was recorded as Rivière du Vieux Fort ("Old Fort River") and Wakaygagh on a 1778 map by Thomas Hutchins. By the 1820s, the French name had become "Small Fort River" in English, and the settlement was known as "Little Fort". The name "Waukegance" and then "Waukegan" (meaning "little fort"; cf. Potawatomi wakaigin "fort" or "fortress") was created by John H. Kinzie and Solomon Juneau, and the new name was adopted on March 31, 1849.[8][9]

Waukegan had an abolitionist community dating to these early days. In 1853, residents commemorated the anniversary of emancipation of slaves in the British Empire with a meeting.[10] Waukegan arguably has the distinction of being the only place where Abraham Lincoln failed to finish a speech; when he campaigned in the town in 1860, a fire alarm rang, and the man soon-to-be president had his words interrupted.[11]

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Waukegan IL

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Waukegan IL.