How to Find the Right Beauty College near Harristown Illinois
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Harristown IL, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Harristown home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses 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 regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Harristown IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide range 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 exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Harristown IL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Harristown IL students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby 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 needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Harristown IL residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 62537 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Harristown IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Harristown IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 start a hair salon in Harristown IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s essential that he or she gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Harristown IL employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Harristown IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Harristown IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Harristown, Illinois
The village was named in honor of Major Thomas L. Harris, who was elected and served as Major of the Fourth Illinois Regiment in the Mexican–American War, and who was afterward a member of Congress from 1849 to 1858.[citation needed]
The first settlers arrived in 1828 and began building log cabins and improving land around the area. 1841 saw the building of the township’s first schoolhouse, a log building, and served as both the school and as a place of worship until 1853 when the first church was built. Harristown was along the main line of the Wabash Railroad which contributed to increased population and business.[3]
Harristown was also the first Illinois home of Abraham Lincoln. His family settled alongside the Sangamon River in 1830 for a little over a year before relocating due to the harsh winter and extreme sickness. Lincoln and his family constructed a log cabin and fenced in 10 acres of land, planting corn in the fenced land. During that winter, Lincoln, together with his stepmother's son, John D. Johnston, and John Hanks were hired by Denton Offutt to build a flatboat and navigate it from Beardstown, Illinois, to New Orleans, Louisana. It was during this time that Lincoln saw slavery first-hand for the first time.
Pick the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Harristown IL
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Harristown IL.
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