Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Joliet IL

How to Pick a Cosmetology College near Joliet Illinois

nail technicians training at Joliet IL beauty school Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Joliet IL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Joliet home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Joliet IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application 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 word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves 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 licensed, the work settings include not only Joliet IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 already stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

Joliet IL hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two avenues available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Joliet IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetologist Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Joliet IL Online beauty schools are convenient for Joliet IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the training 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 part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area 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 Beauty Training Courses

Questions to ask Joliet IL beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Joliet IL home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 60431 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Joliet IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Joliet IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with 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? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Joliet IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons 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 minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s important that she or he receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Joliet IL employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Joliet IL?

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

Joliet, Illinois

Joliet (/ˈdʒoʊliɛt, dʒoʊliˈɛt/) is a city in Will and Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County and a major part of the southwest Chicago metropolitan area.[6] At the 2010 census, the city was the fourth largest in Illinois, with a population of 147,433.[2][7] A population estimate in 2018 put Joliet's population at 150,495, which would make it the 3rd largest city in Illinois if accurate.[3]

In 1673, Louis Jolliet, along with Father Jacques Marquette, paddled up the Des Plaines River and camped on a huge mound, a few miles south of present-day Joliet.[7] Maps from Jolliet's exploration of the area,[citation needed] placed a large hill or mound on what is now the southwest corner of the city, since there is no point that is farther southwest. That hill was named Mound Jolliet. The spot was mined by early settlers and is now a depression.

In 1833, following the Black Hawk War, Charles Reed built a cabin along the west side of the Des Plaines River. Across the river in 1834, James B. Campbell, treasurer of the canal commissioners, laid out the village of "Juliet", named after his daughter.[8] Just before the economic depression of 1837, Juliet incorporated as a village, but to cut tax expenses, Juliet residents soon petitioned the state to rescind that incorporation. In 1845, local residents changed the community's name from "Juliet" to "Joliet". Joliet was reincorporated as a city in 1852. Cornelius Covenhoven Van Horne was active in getting the city its first charter, and because of this he was elected Joliet's first Mayor. When the city later built a new bridge it was named The Van Horne Bridge.[9]

Select the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Joliet IL

Joliet IL barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Joliet IL.