Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Oswego IL

How to Pick a Beauty College near Oswego Illinois

nail technicians training at Oswego IL beauty school Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Oswego IL, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Oswego home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Oswego IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body 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 actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Oswego IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As already stated, in the majority of states working 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. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Oswego IL hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two pathways offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Oswego IL business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Cosmetologist Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Oswego IL Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Oswego IL students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs 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 covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Schools

Questions to ask Oswego IL beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Oswego IL home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 60543 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Oswego 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 Good Reputation? Any cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Oswego IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a hair salon in Oswego IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that he or she gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Oswego IL employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of cosmetology 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 belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Oswego IL?

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

Oswego, Illinois

Oswego /ɒsˈwiːɡoʊ/ is a village in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. The village population, according to the 2010 census, is 30,355. Its population has more than doubled since the 2000 census count of 13,326. With that growth, Oswego is the largest municipality located completely within Kendall County.

Oswego is known to some Chicago area residents for the town dragstrip, open from 1955 until 1979, where muscle cars were raced by drivers from all over the Midwest.[3][4] The drag days are celebrated today even though the strip has been closed for decades.[5]

In 1833, William Smith Wilson, his wife Rebecca, and his brother-in-law Daniel Pearce moved to the area now known as Oswego.[6] The land was officially owned by the local Potowatomi, Ottawa, and Chippewa tribes, but the United States government removed the Native Americans when the government started surveying the land along the Fox River in Kendall County. In 1842, the federal government placed the land for sale at an established price of $1.25 an acre.[7]

Choose the Right Cosmetologist College near Oswego IL

Oswego IL barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, 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 ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Oswego IL.