How to Pick the Best Esthetics Training Program near Granite City Illinois
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Granite City IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Granite City residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 really 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, the majority of states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Granite City IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide variety of specializations 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 performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Granite City IL business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.
Online Esthetician Schools
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Granite City IL students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as short 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 spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain 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 facet of the cosmetology industry. 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 Degree Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Granite City home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary 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 reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school you choose 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 comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 62040 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Granite City IL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Granite City IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a Granite City 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Granite City IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.
Esthetician Cosmetology Programs Granite City Illinois
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect 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 compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Esthetician Cosmetology Programs and wanting more information on the topic Esthetician Classes Near Me. However, if you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Granite City IL.
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Granite City, Illinois
Granite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, within the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. The population was 29,849 at the 2010 census, making it the second-largest city in the Metro East and Southern Illinois regions, behind Belleville. Officially founded in 1896, Granite City was named by the Niedringhaus brothers, William and Frederick, who established it as a steel making company town for the manufacture of kitchen utensils made to resemble granite.
The area was settled much earlier than Granite City's official founding. In the early 19th century, settlers began to farm the rich fertile grounds to the east of St. Louis. Around 1801, the area saw the establishment of Six Mile Settlement, a farming area that occupied the area of present-day Granite City, six miles (10 km) from St. Louis.[3] Soon after, around 1806, the National Road was to be constructed through the area, but it was never completed.[3] By 1817, the area became known as Six Mile Prairie, to distinguish it from Six Mile Township.[3] By 1854, the first railroad was built.[4] In 1856, the area known as Six Mile would be changed to Kinder.[4]
Granite City was founded in 1896 to be a planned company city similar to Pullman, Illinois, by German immigrant brothers Frederick G. and William Niedringhaus for their Granite ware kitchen supplies factory.
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