How to Find the Right Beauty College near Fairbury Illinois
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Fairbury IL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled 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 bit more concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Fairbury home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance 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 types of programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Fairbury IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing 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 specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain 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 call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Fairbury IL business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important 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 highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Fairbury IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Fairbury IL residence, as well as the expense 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 reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 61739 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Fairbury IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Fairbury IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Fairbury IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s important that she or he gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Fairbury IL businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Fairbury IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Fairbury IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Fairbury, Illinois
Fairbury was laid out on November 10, 1857 by Caleb L. Patton and Octave Chanute.[3] Like most Illinois towns of the 1850s, the original town of Fairbury was centered on a depot ground. It consisted of twenty-six blocks, each divided into fourteen to sixteen lots. There was no central public square, but one was later included in Marsh's addition. The plan used was virtually identical to that at Chatsworth Illinois, including the street names, and the plan very similar to that at Gridley and El Paso on the same railroad.[4]
Octave Chanute was a civil engineer employed by the new Peoria and Oquawka Railroad, which is now the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad. Caleb L. Patton was an early settler on the land where the town was built. Chanute, a French native, was later famed for publishing Progress in Flying Machines, which helped pioneer aviation. The Wright brothers even mentioned Chanute as a mentor to them. Chanute built the railroad that made Fairbury possible, but did so against the will of Patton, Fairbury's first citizen.
It is Caleb Patton who should really be credited for the creation of Fairbury. It was he who owned the land that the original town was built on, and it was he who advertised lots for sale and attracted other people to live there. Today, the original town's area starts at the corner of Maple Street and First Street and stretches to the corner of Oak Street and Seventh Street. When Patton heard that Chanute wanted to build a railroad in his general direction, he saw it as an opportunity to make use of his otherwise deserted land and struck a deal. If Chanute built his railroad through Fairbury, then Patton would give Chanute half of the town's property.
Choose the Right Cosmetology School near Fairbury IL
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Fairbury IL.
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