Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Blue Island IL

How to Choose a Cosmetology College near Blue Island Illinois

nail technicians training at Blue Island IL beauty school Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Blue Island IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Blue Island home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Blue Island IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of 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 enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Blue Island IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Blue Island IL hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two avenues available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Blue Island IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Cosmetology Schools

student attending cosmetology school online in Blue Island IL Online cosmetology programs are advantageous for Blue Island IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop 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 brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re 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 area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Training Courses

Questions to ask Blue Island IL beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Blue Island IL residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 60406 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Blue Island IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetologist school 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 placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Blue Island 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 recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology 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 focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a hair salon in Blue Island IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons 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 minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s imperative that he or she receives assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Blue Island IL employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial help may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Blue Island IL?

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

Blue Island, Illinois

Blue Island is a city in Cook County, Illinois, located approximately 16 miles (26 km) south of Chicago's Loop.[3] Blue Island is adjacent to the city of Chicago and shares its northern boundary with that city's Morgan Park neighborhood. The population was 23,706 at the 2010 United States Census.

Blue Island was established in the 1830s as a way station for settlers traveling on the Vincennes Trace,[4] and the settlement prospered because it was conveniently situated a day's journey outside of Chicago. The late-nineteenth-century historian and publisher Alfred T. Andreas made the following observation regarding the appearance of the young community in History of Cook County Illinois (1884), "The location of Blue Island Village is a beautiful one. Nowhere about Chicago is there to be found a more pleasant and desirable resident locality."[5]

Since its founding, the city has been an important commercial center in the south Cook County region, although its position in that respect has been eclipsed in recent years as other significant population centers developed around it and the region's commercial resources became spread over a wider area. In addition to its broad long-standing industrial base, the city enjoyed notable growth in the 1840s during the construction of the feeder canal (now the Calumet Sag Channel) for the Illinois and Michigan Canal and as the center of a large brick-making industry beginning in the 1850s, which eventually gave Blue Island the status of brick-making capitol of the world.[6] Beginning in 1883, Blue Island was also host to the car shops of the Rock Island Railroad.[7] Blue Island was home to several breweries, who used the east side of the hill to store their product before the advent of refrigeration, until the Eighteenth Amendment made these breweries illegal in 1919. A large regional hospital and two major clinics are also located in the city.

Find the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Blue Island IL

Blue Island IL barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Blue Island IL.