How to Select a Cosmetology College near Rantoul Illinois
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Rantoul IL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Rantoul home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Rantoul IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes 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 stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are essentially two avenues 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 call for 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Rantoul IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, 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, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Rantoul IL students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Rantoul IL home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 61866 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Rantoul IL businesses 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 cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Rantoul IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. 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 grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Rantoul IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s imperative that she or he gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Rantoul IL employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Rantoul IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Rantoul IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Rantoul, Illinois
Rantoul is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,941 at the 2010 census. The current mayor is Chuck Smith, who was elected in 2013. The community was named after Robert Rantoul, Jr., a U.S. representative from Massachusetts, and a director of the Illinois Central Railroad.[4][5]
In 1917, Rantoul was chosen by the United States Army to be the site of Chanute Field,[6] due to its proximity to the Illinois Central railroad and the War Department’s ground school at the University of Illinois. In the 1930s, Chanute Field grew, dominating the local economy as thousands of airmen were stationed there to train recruits. Renamed Chanute Air Force Base after World War II, it was closed in 1993, but was partly reoccupied by the Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum , which was permanently closed on December 30, 2015, and the Rantoul National Aviation Center. Rantoul's economy has taken a sharp decline due to the base's closing, from which it has never recovered. The book Eye of the Storm: Chanute Closes by Katy B. Podagrosi tells the story of this period.
According to the 2010 census, Rantoul has a total area of 8.259 square miles (21.39 km2), of which 8.15 square miles (21.11 km2) (or 98.68%) is land and 0.109 square miles (0.28 km2) (or 1.32%) is water.[8]
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Rantoul IL
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Rantoul IL.
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