How to Pick a Beauty School near Verona Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Verona IL, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Verona residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous 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 improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Verona IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open 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 go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

There are essentially two pathways offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon 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. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Verona IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Cosmetology Classes

Online beauty classes are accommodating for Verona IL students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional 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 large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Training Programs

Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Verona IL home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 60479 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Verona IL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Every cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Verona IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many beauty 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 example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 start a hair salon in Verona 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 seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s crucial that she or he receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Verona IL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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 Aid Offered?  Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Verona IL?

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

Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist Program near Verona IL

Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Verona IL.

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