How to Select a Cosmetology School near Odell Illinois
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Odell IL, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Odell home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as 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 talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Odell IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are essentially two options offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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 wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Odell IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Odell IL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a personal 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 considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary 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 profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Odell IL home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary 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 additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 60460 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Odell IL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Odell 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 recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 desire is to open a hair salon in Odell IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s crucial that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Odell IL businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Odell IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Odell IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Odell, Illinois
According to the 2010 census, Odell has a total area of 1.126 square miles (2.92 km2), of which 1.11 square miles (2.87 km2) (or 98.58%) is land and 0.016 square miles (0.04 km2) (or 1.42%) is water.[3]
Odell was laid out by Sydney S. Morgan (25 January 1823 – 5 April 1884) [4] and Henry A. Gardner (2 April 1816 – 27 July 1875) on 10 August 1856.[5] Both men were railroad engineers who had worked on the survey and construction of what soon became the Chicago and Alton Railroad. For a time Sydney S. Morgan divided his time between Joliet and Odell, but soon settled in Odell on a permanent basis where he became the town's chief promoter.[6] Gardner was born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts and had begun his railroad career working as a rodman on an extension of the Great Western Railroad in Massachusetts. He rose quickly through the ranks until he became chief engineer of the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad. Gardner came west in 1853 to work assistant engineer to Oliver H. Lee on the Chicago and Mississippi Railroad, He purchased land near Dwight and later went on to become Chief Engineer on the Michigan Central Railroad. Gardner was never a resident of Odell.[7] The town was platted when it became clear that the railroad would pass through their land. This Railroad was originally known as the Chicago and Mississippi Railroad, but quickly became The Chicago Alton and St. Louis, and then the Chicago and Alton. An excursion train ran through the town on 4 July 1854 regular service began in August 1854. Before the coming of the railroad, the land which became Odell Township was completely unsettled. Between 1852 and 1855 almost all of the land in the township was entered and farms were rapidly developed. The land on which the town would soon be erected had been first purchased from the government by. James C. Spencer and Henry A. Gardner on 4 May 1853. Through a series of quick transactions, Spencer sold his land to William H. Odell who then transferred it to Sydney S. Morgan.[8]
The town was surveyed by Thomas F. Norton, deputy surveyor of Livingston County. The railroad had been granted a 100-foot-wide (30 m) swath of land extending diagonally through the town. This presented a problem in town design, which was solved at Odell by aligning the entire Original Town with the tracks. A similar problem was presented by several towns along this railroad. Unlike the Toledo Peoria and Western Railroad, built through Livingston County at about the same time, a standard plan with shared street names does not seem to have been used along the Chicago and Mississippi.[9] Lots sold from twenty to thirty dollars, with twenty being more common.[10] Where the tracks passed through the town, the land used by the railroad was widened an additional 100 yards on both sides of the tracks, to create railroad grounds, although at Odell they were not labeled as such. This kind of widening of railroad property at townsites was a common feature of railroad towns built in the 1850s and may be seen at places like Dwight, Towanda, McLean, Fairbury and Chatsworth; it became less common with later railroad towns. The depot at Odell was on the north side of the tracks and the two early elevators on the south side. The Original Town included twenty-four numbered blocks, each of which contained up to twenty lots. There was no central public square designated on the plat. The original town plan remains substantially unaltered to this day.[11]
Select the Right Cosmetology School near Odell IL
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Odell IL.
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