Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Homewood IL

How to Pick a Cosmetology School near Homewood Illinois

nail technicians training at Homewood IL beauty school Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Homewood IL, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Homewood residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

Homewood IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Homewood IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

Homewood IL hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues available to obtain 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 generally 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Homewood IL business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Cosmetology Schools

student attending cosmetology school online in Homewood IL Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Homewood IL students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Training Classes

Questions to ask Homewood IL beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Homewood IL residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you select 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 60430 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Homewood IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Homewood IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Homewood IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that he or she receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Homewood IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Homewood IL?

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

Homewood, Illinois

Homewood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. The population was 19,323 at the 2010 census.[4] Homewood is a sister city to Homewood, Alabama. In 2007, Forbes magazine rated Homewood as one of the three most "livable" suburbs in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.[5]

According to the 2010 census, Homewood has a total area of 5.259 square miles (13.62 km2), of which 5.21 square miles (13.49 km2) (or 99.07%) is land and 0.049 square miles (0.13 km2) (or 0.93%) is water.[6] It lies on the Calumet Shoreline. The ancient shoreline can be seen clearly as the sand ridge along Ridge Road. A south suburban village, Homewood is 22 miles (35 km) due south of The Loop/downtown Chicago at 800 west and 18300 south on the Chicago grid system.

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 19,543 people, 7,552 households, and 5,256 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,755.5 people per square mile (1,451.1/km²). There were 7,827 housing units at an average density of 1,504.1 per square mile (581.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 56.50% White, 33.70% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 2.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.9% of the population.

Find the Right Beauty Training Program near Homewood IL

Homewood IL barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. 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 use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Homewood IL.