How to Select a Beauty College near Mounds Illinois
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Mounds IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Mounds home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Mounds IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go 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 earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are essentially two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Mounds IL business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.
Online Beauty Schools
Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for Mounds IL students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Mounds IL home, in addition to the price 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 options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 62964 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Mounds 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 Good Reputation? Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Mounds IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Mounds IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that she or he receives help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Mounds IL businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Mounds IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Mounds IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Mounds, Illinois
According to the 2010 census, Mounds has a total area of 1.219 square miles (3.16 km2), of which 1.21 square miles (3.13 km2) (or 99.26%) is land and 0.009 square miles (0.02 km2) (or 0.74%) is water.[4]
As of the 2000 census,[7] there were 1,117 people, 407 households, and 264 families residing in the city. The population density was 918.9 people per square mile (353.5/km²). There were 504 housing units at an average density of 414.6 per square mile (159.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 36.53% White, 60.61% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.45% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.
There were 407 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.1% were married couples living together, 24.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.33.
Select the Right Cosmetologist College near Mounds IL
Locating and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty 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 procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once 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 Mounds IL.
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