How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Pekin IN

How to Pick an Esthetician College near Pekin Indiana

Pekin IN esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Pekin IN, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Pekin home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Pekin IN Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Pekin IN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide range 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 a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Pekin IN esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon 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 usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Pekin IN business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Indiana Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable 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 Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Pekin IN Online esthetician programs are convenient for Pekin IN students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative 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 gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Pekin IN models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Pekin home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 47165 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Pekin IN 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 Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Pekin IN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Indiana school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 dream is to start a Pekin IN beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that she or he receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Pekin IN businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Pekin IN?

Perhaps you live in the Pekin Indiana 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.

American Pekin

The Pekin, White Pekin, or Long Island Duck,[6] is an American breed of domestic duck, raised primarily for meat.[7][8] It derives from birds brought to the United States from China in the nineteenth century,[9] and is now bred in many countries, and in all continents.[7] It is a distinct and separate breed from the German Pekin, which derives from the same Chinese stock but has different breeding.

The mallard was domesticated in China some 3000 years ago, and possibly much earlier.[10]:121[11]:3 Force-feeding of ducks is documented from the tenth century, under the Five Dynasties.[12]:593 The Chinese were sophisticated breeders of ducks;[2]:92 among several breeds they created was one named shi-chin-ya-tze, which roughly translates to "ten-pound duck", from which the American Pekin derives.[9]

In 1872, James E. Palmer of Stonington, Connecticut, loaded fifteen white ducks of this type for shipment to a businessman named McGrath in the United States. The birds were loaded at Shanghai, but had been hatched in Peking (now called Beijing). Nine of them – six ducks and three drakes – survived the voyage, which took 124 days and reached New York City on 13 March 1873.[2]:92[13] Five of the surviving birds were dispatched to McGrath, but were eaten before they reached him. Palmer's four birds became the foundation stock of the American Pekin; by July 1873, his three ducks had laid more than three hundred eggs.[14]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics College near Pekin IN

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, 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 ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Pekin IN.