How to Find the Right Cosmetology College near Lane Illinois
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Lane IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lane residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application 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 actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lane IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two pathways offered to get 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 generally require 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Lane IL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example 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 Beauty Schools
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Lane IL students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area 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.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Classes
Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lane IL residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 61750 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lane IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lane IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 launch a hair salon in Lane IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing 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 courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Lane IL businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lane IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Lane IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Interstate 80 in Illinois
Interstate 80 (I-80) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey. I-80 enters Illinois from Iowa in the west, southwest of Rapids City and runs generally eastward through East Moline, LaSalle and Joliet, before entering Indiana in Lansing. The interstate runs for approximately 163.41 miles (262.98 km) through the state.
In the 1920s, two state highways followed the general alignment that I-80 takes. In 1932 US 6 was extended through Illinois, paralleling the alignment that I-80 in Illinois. Construction started in 1957 and I-80 was completed in 1968. In the early 1990s Illinois wanted to reroute I-80 in the Quad Cities area. At the same time the section of I-80 that is concurrent with I-294 was reconstructed. The portion of I-80 that is concurrent with the Kingery Expressway was rebuilt in the mid-2000s.
Interstate 80 extends from west to east across the northern portion of the state through the population centers of Quad Cities and the south Chicago suburbs. The freeway is mostly maintained by Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), with Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) maintaining the section of I-80 that is concurrent with the Tri-State Tollway. The busiest section of the freeway is between the I-94 and IL 83 interchanges in Lansing. Approximately 181,200 vehicles used the freeway on average each day in 2011; in contrast the lowest traffic level was 16,400 vehicles between the IL 78 and IL 40 interchanges in Henry and Bureau Counties.[2][3] I-80 contains between a minimum of four lanes and a maximum of ten lanes total. The majority of the highway runs through farmland and urban areas.[4]
Find the Right Beauty College near Lane IL
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive 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 base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Lane IL.
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