Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Glendale Heights IL

How to Find the Right Beauty School near Glendale Heights Illinois

nail technicians training at Glendale Heights IL beauty school Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Glendale Heights IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference 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 discuss a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Glendale Heights home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right option. There are several other considerations 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 looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Glendale Heights IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with 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 may be anything that enhances the appearance 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 type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Glendale Heights IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

Glendale Heights IL hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two options available to get cosmetology 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 normally 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Glendale Heights IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Cosmetology Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Glendale Heights IL Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Glendale Heights IL students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible 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 program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs

Questions to ask Glendale Heights IL beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Glendale Heights IL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 60139 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Glendale Heights 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 an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Glendale Heights IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty 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 select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Glendale Heights IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Glendale Heights IL businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Glendale Heights IL?

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

Glendale Heights, Illinois

Glendale Heights is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 34,208 at the 2010 census. It is best known nationally as the hometown of Smashing Pumpkins founder Billy Corgan, but known more locally for its ethnically diverse population. The town elected Dupage County's first Asian mayor in 1995.[4]

Glendale Heights was a small farming area served by the Glen Ellyn post office up until the 1950s, with a population of just 104 in 1959.[5] Midland Enterprises ran by Charles and Harold Reskin started building houses in Glendale Heights in 1958. The Reskins bought two farms on Glen Ellyn Road north of North Avenue. Houses were first built on Glen Ellyn Road and Larry Lane near Fullerton Avenue. On June 16, 1959, a petition was filed and on July 13, the village became incorporated. The first election was held later on that summer on August 2.

The town was originally named Glendale as it was between Glen Ellyn and Bloomingdale, but after a conflict arose with the small town of Glendale in Southern Illinois, the city decided in March 1960 to add the term Heights, in reference to its different topographies, a difference of about 100 feet because of its location straddling the Valparaiso Morraine, thus becoming Glendale Heights.[6]

Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist Program near Glendale Heights IL

Glendale Heights IL barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize 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 procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, 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 self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Glendale Heights IL.