Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Matteson IL

How to Select a Cosmetology School near Matteson Illinois

nail technicians training at Matteson IL beauty school Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Matteson IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather 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 speak a little bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Matteson residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance 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 talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

Matteson IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Matteson IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

Matteson IL hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two avenues available to receive 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 usually 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Matteson IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Beauty Schools

student attending cosmetology school online in Matteson IL Online beauty programs are accommodating for Matteson IL students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Training Courses

Questions to ask Matteson IL beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Matteson IL residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 60443 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Matteson IL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Matteson IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, 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. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Matteson IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s important that she or he gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Matteson IL businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Matteson IL?

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

Matteson, Illinois

The area encompassed by modern Matteson was settled in the late 1800s, primarily by people of German descent. Platted in 1855, Matteson had nearly 500 residents when it incorporated as a village in 1889. The village's namesake is Joel Aldrich Matteson, who served as Illinois' tenth governor from 1853 to 1857.[5] The 20th century saw improvements in plumbing, the electrification of the Illinois Central Railroad, and the construction of today's school district, resulting in significant population growth to more than 3,000 residents by the end of the 1960s. By 2000, Matteson was home to Lincoln Mall (opened 1973) and annexed 195 acres of land for the village.[6]

For most of its history, Matteson's population was majority white.[7] However, by the 2010s, the village became majority African-American. The director of Chicago Metropolis 2020, Carol Sonnenschein, stated that the desire for higher quality neighborhoods and public schools drove the black influx into Matteson.[8] In 1980, 8,288 residents were white,[9] comprising 84% of the village's population,[8] while 12% of village residents were black. By 1990, Matteson, with a total of 11,400 residents, had 5,687 white residents,[9] making up 53% of the village,[8] a percentage decline of 31% in a ten-year span; 44% of the total number of residents in Matteson were black.[9] By 1995 48% of the residents were black and 45% were white. In 2010, 78.72% of the residents were black and 16.3% of the residents were white.[8]

In 1995 Matteson officials started a campaign encouraging white homeowners to buy houses in the village. Some Matteson residents, white and black, did not want their communities to become overwhelmingly black and lose racial diversity. The Chicago branches of the NAACP and some other black residents criticized the campaign, arguing it was racist.[9] Some other critics stated that the blacks moving to Matteson were wealthier than the whites they replaced.[10]

Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist College near Matteson IL

Matteson IL barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Matteson IL.