How to Find the Right Cosmetology School near New Salem Illinois
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near New Salem IL, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction 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 concerning that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your New Salem home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only New Salem IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as 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 Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two options offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other New Salem IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for New Salem IL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your New Salem IL home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 62357 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous New Salem IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with New Salem IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 vision is to open a hair salon in New Salem IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with New Salem IL businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? 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 qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near New Salem IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater New Salem IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Lincoln's New Salem
Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site is a reconstruction of the former village of New Salem in Menard County, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln lived from 1831 to 1837.[1] While in his twenties, the future U.S. President made his living in this frontier village as a boatman, soldier in the Black Hawk War, general store owner, postmaster, surveyor, and rail splitter, and was first elected to the Illinois General Assembly.
Lincoln left New Salem for Springfield in 1837, and the village was generally abandoned by about 1840, as other towns developed. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built a historic recreation of New Salem based on its original foundations, establishing a state park commemorating Lincoln and Illinois' frontier history.[2] The village is located 15 mi (24 km) northwest of Springfield, and approximately 3 mi (4.8 km) south of Petersburg.
New Salem was founded in 1828, when James Rutledge and John Camron built a gristmill on the Sangamon River. They surveyed and sold village lots for commercial business and homes on the ridge stretching to the west above the mill. Over the first few years of its existence, the town grew rapidly, but after the county seat was located in nearby Petersburg, the village began to shrink and by 1840, it was abandoned. The fact that the Sangamon River was not well-suited for steamboat travel was also a reason for the town's decline.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology School near New Salem IL
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist 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 confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick 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 filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in New Salem IL.
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