Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Granite City IL

How to Select a Cosmetology College near Granite City Illinois

nail technicians training at Granite City IL beauty school Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Granite City IL, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Granite City home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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 courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

Granite City IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Granite City IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many 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 practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Granite City IL hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two pathways offered to receive 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Granite City IL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s essential 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 reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Granite City IL Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Granite City IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering 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 vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Programs

Questions to ask Granite City IL beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Granite City IL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school you pick 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 62040 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Granite City 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 a Good Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent 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, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Granite City IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints 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, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Granite City IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that he or she gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Granite City IL employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Granite City IL?

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

Granite City, Illinois

Granite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, within the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. The population was 29,849 at the 2010 census, making it the second largest city in the Metro East and Southern Illinois regions, behind Belleville. Officially founded in 1896, Granite City was named by the Niedringhaus brothers, William and Frederick, who established it as a steel making company town for the manufacture of kitchen utensils made to resemble granite.

The area was settled much earlier than Granite City's official founding. In the early 19th century, settlers began to farm the rich fertile grounds to the east of St. Louis. Around 1801, the area saw the establishment of Six Mile Settlement, a farming area that occupied the area of present-day Granite City, six miles (10 km) from St. Louis.[3] Soon after, around 1806, the National Road was to be constructed through the area, but it was never completed.[3] By 1817, the area became known as Six Mile Prairie, to distinguish it from Six Mile Township.[3] By 1854, the first railroad was built.[4] In 1856, the area known as Six Mile would be changed to Kinder.[4]

Granite City was founded in 1896 to be a planned company city similar to Pullman, Illinois, by German immigrant brothers Frederick G. and William Niedringhaus for their Granite ware kitchen supplies factory.

Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Program near Granite City IL

Granite City IL barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. 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 ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Granite City IL.