How to Select a Beauty School near Carlinville Illinois
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Carlinville IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Carlinville home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Carlinville IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance 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
There are basically two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Carlinville IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, 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 reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online beauty schools are advantageous for Carlinville IL students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short 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 spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Carlinville IL home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you select 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 62626 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Carlinville IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Carlinville IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose 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 complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Carlinville IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Carlinville IL businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Carlinville IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Carlinville IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Carlinville, Illinois
As of the 2010 Census, the population was 5,917, and 5,665 at a 2015 estimate. It is the county seat of Macoupin County, and is an outlying part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area.[3]
Carlinville has long been a site of Illinois history, and has played host to many presidential hopefuls via campaign stops at a time in American history when railway routes produced many visits by politicians. Perhaps the largest and most important hallmark of Carlinville's history is its courthouse, the largest built outside of New York City at the time of its erection. Built in 1870 and designed by famous state capitol building architect Elijah E. Myers, the construction of Carlinville's courthouse produced its candidacy for the location of the State Capitol. Locally, it is known as "The Million Dollar Courthouse" due to its cost overruns at the time it was built.
In the early 1900s Carlinville became the site of a great many Sears Catalog Homes. An entire neighborhood was constructed of the homes and was funded, in 1918, by Standard Oil of Indiana for its mineworkers in Carlinville, at a cost of approximately 1 million dollars. In gratitude, Sears, Roebuck named one of its house models the "Carlin." Today 149 of the original 156 homes still exist, the largest single repository of Sears Catalog Homes in the United States.[5]
Find the Right Cosmetologist School near Carlinville IL
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Carlinville IL.
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