How to Find the Right Cosmetology School near Roanoke Illinois
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Roanoke IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Roanoke residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Roanoke IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two pathways 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, 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. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Roanoke IL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty programs are convenient for Roanoke IL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Roanoke IL home, as well as the cost 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 61561 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Roanoke IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding 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 placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Roanoke IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Roanoke IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Roanoke IL employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might 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 each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Roanoke IL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Roanoke IL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Roanoke, Illinois
Roanoke is a village in Roanoke Township, Woodford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,065 at the 2010 census, up from 1,994 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Until about 1850, much of northern Illinois was still frontier land and sparsely populated, which the exception of Chicago and towns along the rivers. This changed in 1850, when President Millard Fillmore signed a land grant for the construction of the Illinois Central Railroad (lobbied for by then-lawyers Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln). With the railroad expanding into Central Illinois, new opportunities for settlement by German, Dutch, Irish, Italian, Swedish, and other European immigrants opened up in Woodford County.[3]
Roanoke was one of these settlements. On December 17, 1872, Roanoke was mapped out and lots were offered for sale. The plat of Roanoke was composed of 15 blocks and was bounded by Main, Front, Ann and Pleasant Streets. Two years later in 1874, Roanoke officially became a "Village" in the State of Illinois. Building began immediately in Roanoke and by the time the railroad was complete the population had increased to three hundred. Henry Frantz put up the first building after the village was laid out, and John Frantz and Jacob Engle also opened pancake stores.
Find the Right Cosmetologist Program near Roanoke IL
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented 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 confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Roanoke IL.
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