How to Choose a Cosmetologist School near Wilmington Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Wilmington IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Wilmington home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Wilmington IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, 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 previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

There are essentially two options offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, 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. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Wilmington IL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Beauty Training

Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Wilmington IL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools

Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Wilmington IL residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, 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 may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 60481 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Wilmington IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Wilmington IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. 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 complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to start a hair salon in Wilmington IL, then you need 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 provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Wilmington IL businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering 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 verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial help may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Wilmington IL?

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

Pick the Right Beauty School near Wilmington IL

Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, 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 confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Wilmington IL.

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