How to Enroll In a Beauty College near Red Bud Illinois
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Red Bud IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Red Bud residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described 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, almost all states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Red Bud IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two avenues available to obtain 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 normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Red Bud IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available 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 recognized 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 examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online beauty programs are convenient for Red Bud 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 cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Red Bud IL residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 62278 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Red Bud IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Red Bud 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 recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 start a hair salon in Red Bud IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Red Bud IL employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? 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 learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Red Bud IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Red Bud IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Red Bud, Illinois
According to the 2010 census, Red Bud has a total area of 2.453 square miles (6.35 km2), of which 2.43 square miles (6.29 km2) (or 99.06%) is land and 0.023 square miles (0.06 km2) (or 0.94%) is water.[5]
Red Bud lies in the northwestern part of Randolph County and is bounded on the north and west by Monroe County, on the east by the Kaskaskia River, and on the south by Ruma and Horse creeks. Originally it was two-thirds rich rolling prairie, with good timber bordering the Kaskaskia.
The city receives its name from the redbud tree, a species of flora that grows in the area. The first development by a European settler within what is now the city limits was made by Preston Brickey in 1820. He constructed a log cabin near the current intersection of Main and Power streets, and there cultivated a farm. In 1839, James Pollock placed a small stock of goods in the log cabin built by Henry Simmons, where he did business for about a year. This was located where Lutheran cemetery now exists. The next year he moved his stock of goods into a log building erected by John C. Crozier. He continued the business there about three years, when he moved to Preston. In 1840, R.D. Dufree became the first permanent merchant in Red Bud. Two years later he built a frame store house on the southeast corner of Main and Market streets. The first brick school house was erected in 1854, in the east part of town.[6]
Pick the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Red Bud IL
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. 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 receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Red Bud IL.
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