Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Evergreen Park IL

How to Choose a Cosmetology College near Evergreen Park Illinois

nail technicians training at Evergreen Park IL beauty school Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Evergreen Park IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Evergreen Park home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Evergreen Park IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Evergreen Park IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

Evergreen Park IL hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues offered to receive 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 typically require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Evergreen Park IL business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Beauty Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Evergreen Park IL Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Evergreen Park IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since 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 dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs

Questions to ask Evergreen Park IL beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Evergreen Park IL home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 60805 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Evergreen Park IL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating 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 referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Evergreen Park IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick 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 vision is to start a hair salon in Evergreen Park IL, then you need 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 provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that he or she receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Evergreen Park IL businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Evergreen Park IL?

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

Evergreen Park, Illinois

As early as 1828, a German farming family had settled in the area of what is now Evergreen Park. In the succeeding decades, other German immigrants arrived. Kedzie Avenue and 95th Street crisscrossed the farmland and provided access to markets.

The first railroad (now the Grand Trunk Railroad) came through the area in 1873. In 1875, the community built its first school just west of 95th and Kedzie. The school and the stores that began to cluster around this intersection defined the community's main business area. Nearby, a real-estate developer, with a vision of the Arc de Triomphe area of Paris, laid out a star-shaped park with eight streets radiating from it. The evergreen trees planted in the park inspired the village's name. The location and layout of the park was intended to be the center of town, but 95th St and Kedzie Ave. later proved a more accurate midpoint. After the death of Mayor Henry Klein shortly after the village's 75th anniversary, the park was renamed Klein Park in his honor. [4]

In 1888 St. Mary's Cemetery opened, and mourners traveled by train from Chicago. Restaurants and taverns were created to provide meals for cemetery visitors. Within five years, the village had become a recreation center that attracted hundreds of Chicagoans to its picnic groves, beer gardens, and dance halls. The first of the village's 13 churches was established in 1893.

Pick the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Evergreen Park IL

Evergreen Park IL barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the right beauty school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Evergreen Park IL.