Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Stone Park IL

How to Select a Cosmetology School near Stone Park Illinois

nail technicians training at Stone Park IL beauty school Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Stone Park IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Stone Park home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Stone Park IL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Stone Park IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some 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, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

Stone Park IL hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two pathways available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Stone Park IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Cosmetology Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in Stone Park IL Online beauty schools are advantageous for Stone Park IL students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs

Questions to ask Stone Park IL beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Stone Park IL residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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 compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you select 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 60165 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Stone Park IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm 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 Stone Park IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, 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. Finally, consult 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 Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 vision is to open a hair salon in Stone Park IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that he or she gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Stone Park IL employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most 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. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Stone Park IL?

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

Stone Park, Illinois

Stone Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,946 at the 2010 census.[3] Incorporated in 1939, the town was named for insurance magnate Clement Stone, who bought most of the land when it was still corn fields.

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 5,127 people, 1,265 households, and 1,065 families residing in the village. The population density was 15,378.2 people per square mile (5,998.6/km²), making it the most densely populated municipality in Illinois. There were 1,315 housing units at an average density of 3,944.3 per square mile (1,538.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 53.99% White, 1.81% African American, 0.47% Native American, 2.03% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 38.85% from other races, and 2.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 79.13% of the population. The village was the first ever in Illinois to be more than 50% Hispanic.

There were 1,265 households out of which 52.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.8% were non-families. 11.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.05 and the average family size was 4.34.

Select the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Stone Park IL

Stone Park IL barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Stone Park IL.