How to Choose a Beauty College near Ohio Illinois
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Ohio IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Ohio residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Ohio IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as 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.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Ohio IL business. More advanced 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 choose, 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 agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Beauty Programs
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Ohio IL students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you choose 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 acquire the skills needed to work in any facet 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 Beauty Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Ohio IL residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 61349 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Ohio IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Ohio IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in Ohio IL, then you want 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 need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find 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 academy, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Ohio IL businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Ohio IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Ohio IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Ohio, Illinois
As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 540 people, 219 households, and 146 families residing in the village. The population density was 717.3 people per square mile (278.0/km²). There were 241 housing units at an average density of 320.1 per square mile (124.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.07% White, 0.37% African American, 0.37% from other races, and 0.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.78% of the population.
There were 219 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the village, the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
Find the Right Beauty Training Program near Ohio IL
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Ohio IL.
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