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How to Find the Right Cosmetology School near Alton Illinois

nail technicians training at Alton IL beauty school Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Alton IL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast 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 further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Alton home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

Alton IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Alton IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance 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.

Cosmetology Degrees

Alton IL hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Alton IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Beauty Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in Alton IL Online beauty schools are advantageous for Alton IL students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Programs

Questions to ask Alton IL beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Alton IL home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, 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 getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 62002 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Alton IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any beauty institute 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 references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Alton IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to start a hair salon in Alton IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Alton IL employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Alton IL?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Alton IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Alton, Illinois

Alton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about 15 miles (24 km) north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. It is famous for its limestone bluffs along the river north of the city, for its role preceding and during the American Civil War, and as the home town of jazz musician Miles Davis and Robert Wadlow, the tallest known person in history. It was the site of the last Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debate in October 1858. The former state penitentiary in Alton was used during the Civil War to hold up to 12,000 Confederate prisoners of war.

Although Alton once was growing faster than its sister city of St. Louis, a coalition of St. Louis businessmen planned to build a competing town to stop its expansion and bring business to St. Louis. The result was Grafton, Illinois.

Many blocks of housing in Alton were built in the Victorian Queen Anne style; they represent a prosperous period in the river city's history. At the top of the hill in the commercial area, several stone churches and a fine city hall also represent the city's wealth during its good times based on river traffic, manufacturing and shipping. It was a commercial center for a large agricultural area. Numerous residences on hills have sweeping views of the Mississippi River.

Find the Right Cosmetology College near Alton IL

Alton IL barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good 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 begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Alton IL.