Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Mount Prospect IL

How to Select a Beauty College near Mount Prospect Illinois

nail technicians training at Mount Prospect IL beauty school Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Mount Prospect IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Mount Prospect residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other factors 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 thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

Mount Prospect IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of 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 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 kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Mount Prospect IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places 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 seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

Mount Prospect IL hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two pathways 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 generally 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on 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 parlor or other Mount Prospect IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Cosmetology Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Mount Prospect IL Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Mount Prospect IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology 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 internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Schools

Questions to ask Mount Prospect IL beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Mount Prospect IL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 60056 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Mount Prospect IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Mount Prospect IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Mount Prospect IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Mount Prospect IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Mount Prospect IL?

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

Mount Prospect, Illinois

Mount Prospect is a village in Elk Grove and Wheeling Townships in Cook County, Illinois, about 22 miles (35 km) northwest of downtown Chicago, and approximately 4 miles north of O'Hare International Airport. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 54,167.

According to the 2010 census, Mount Prospect has a total area of 10.374 square miles (26.87 km2), of which 10.34 square miles (26.78 km2) (or 99.67%) is land and 0.034 square miles (0.09 km2) (or 0.33%) is water.[5] At 665 ft (203 m) above sea level, Mount Prospect is 35 ft (11 m) lower than neighboring Arlington Heights 700 ft (213 m).[6][better source needed]

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Mount Prospect lies within the Humid continental climate zone (or Dfa) in the warm summer type. The village experiences warm to hot and humid summers and frigid, snowy winters. The village lies within U.S.D.A Hardiness zone 5b, along the fringe of zone 6a.

Select the Right Cosmetologist School near Mount Prospect IL

Mount Prospect IL barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, 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 exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Mount Prospect IL.