Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Montgomery IL

How to Find the Right Beauty College near Montgomery Illinois

nail technicians training at Montgomery IL beauty school Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Montgomery IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference 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 bit more concerning that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Montgomery residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing prospective 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 many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing 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 little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Montgomery IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want 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 Montgomery IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As formerly stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

Montgomery 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 take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Montgomery IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Cosmetologist Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Montgomery IL Online beauty programs are advantageous for Montgomery IL students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools

Questions to ask Montgomery IL beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you should research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Montgomery IL residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 60538 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Montgomery IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Montgomery IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, 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 looked into. And finally, check with 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 Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Montgomery IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Montgomery IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out 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 Aid Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Montgomery IL?

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

Montgomery, Illinois

Montgomery is a village in Kane and Kendall counties, Illinois, as well as a Chicago suburb. The population was 5,471 at the 2000 census, while the 2010 census lists Montgomery's population at 18,438. This is a 237 percent increase from 2000, making Montgomery the 9th fastest growing municipality in Illinois during this period.

According to the 2010 census, Montgomery has a total area of 9.512 square miles (24.64 km2), of which 9.34 square miles (24.19 km2) (or 98.19%) is land and 0.172 square miles (0.45 km2) (or 1.81%) is water.[4]

The first European settler arriving in the area was Jacob Carpenter, who came to the Chicago area from Logan County, Ohio in November 1832. In the fall of 1835, Daniel S. Gray, from Montgomery County, New York, visited the area where his brother Nicholas Gray had located in the previous spring, on a farm now within the limits of Kendall County. He made immediate preparations to settle there, and in the fall of 1836, after his family moved from New York state, he built the first wooden house in the area. It was located in the southern part of what is now Montgomery, near the west bank of the Fox River.

Choose the Right Beauty Vocational School near Montgomery IL

Montgomery IL barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information 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 start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Montgomery IL.