How to Pick a Beauty College near Pontiac Illinois

Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Pontiac IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Pontiac home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Pontiac IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

There are primarily two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential after 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 usually 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 prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Pontiac IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize 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 choose in the upcoming section.

Online Beauty Classes

Online beauty classes are accommodating for Pontiac IL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Training Classes

Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Pontiac IL home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 61764 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Pontiac 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 Great Reputation?  Each cosmetologist school 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 endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Pontiac IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And 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 Specialty?  A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in Pontiac 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Pontiac IL employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at 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 verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most cosmetology schools provide 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 find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Pontiac IL?

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

Find the Right Cosmetologist Program near Pontiac IL

Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Pontiac IL.

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