How to Pick a Cosmetologist School near Pittsfield Illinois
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Pittsfield IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Pittsfield home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh 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 talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Pittsfield IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. 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.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two options offered to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Pittsfield IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Pittsfield IL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed 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 provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Pittsfield IL residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 62363 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Pittsfield IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Pittsfield IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 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 aspiration is to open a hair salon in Pittsfield IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Pittsfield 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 organizations 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all cosmetology 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 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Pittsfield IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Pittsfield IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Pittsfield, Illinois
Pittsfield was initially settled by settlers from New England. These settlers were of old Yankee stock, that is to say they were descended from the English Puritans who had founded and settled New England in the 1600s. A group of settlers from Pittsfield, Massachusetts headed west and settled this region of Illinois in 1820. When they arrived the area was a virgin wilderness, they constructed farms, roads and government buildings.[5][6] Pittsfield was home to John Hay, Lincoln's personal secretary, ambassador to England under President William McKinley, later Secretary of State for Theodore Roosevelt and creator of the Open Door Policy. As county seat, the town was one of the various places in central Illinois where Abraham Lincoln practiced law as part of the circuit court, working on 34 cases between 1839 and 1852. One local newspaper, now known as the Pike Press, was then owned by another of Lincoln's future secretaries, John Nicolay, and featured an editorial containing one of the first known suggestions of Lincoln as the Republican nominee for the presidency.
Pittsfield is the self-proclaimed "Pork Capital" of the Midwest, owing to the long history of pork production in the region, which fed into the large meat-packing industry of Chicago. Though agriculture in the region is no longer so dependent on pork, the town still hosts a yearly "Pig Days" festival.
The local high school football team, the Saukees, still holds the record for longest winning streak in the state. Starting with their season opening 6-0 win over North Greene in 1966, the Pittsfield Saukees reeled off 64 consecutive wins, which included 15 straight shutouts between 1969 and 1971. The streak extended all the way through to the second game of the 1973 season, when Pittsfield dropped a 12-0 decision to Winchester, Illinois.[7]
Choose the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Pittsfield IL
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Pittsfield IL.
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