How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Mount Auburn Illinois
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Mount Auburn IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about 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 Mount Auburn home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Mount Auburn IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences 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 variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must 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.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two avenues offered to get cosmetology 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 normally call for 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Mount Auburn IL business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many 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 select in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Mount Auburn IL students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Mount Auburn IL home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 62547 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Mount Auburn IL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty institute that you are seriously considering 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 placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Mount Auburn IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Mount Auburn IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow 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 the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that he or she receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Mount Auburn IL businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Mount Auburn IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Mount Auburn IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Mount Auburn, Illinois
According to the 2010 census, Mount Auburn has a total area of 1.001 square miles (2.59 km2), of which 1 square mile (2.59 km2) (or 99.9%) is land and 0.001 square miles (0.00 km2) (or 0.1%) is water.[4]
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 515 people, 223 households, and 156 families residing in the village. The population density was 519.7 people per square mile (200.9/km²). There were 228 housing units at an average density of 230.1 per square mile (88.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.06% White, 0.58% Native American, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.39% of the population.
There were 223 households out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.77.
Pick the Right Cosmetology School near Mount Auburn IL
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty 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 academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Mount Auburn IL.
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