How to Choose the Right Cosmetology Classes near Blackstone Illinois
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Blackstone IL, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Blackstone residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
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Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be 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 go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Blackstone IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance 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.
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Cosmetologist Degrees
There are primarily two avenues offered to get 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 generally take 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Blackstone IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Blackstone IL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Blackstone IL home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 61313 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Blackstone IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Blackstone IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative 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 aspiration is to open a hair salon in Blackstone IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Blackstone IL employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be available.
Advanced Cosmetology Training Blackstone Illinois
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Advanced Cosmetology Training and learning more about the topic Becoming A Cosmetologist. So make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Blackstone IL.
Other Beautiful Illinois Locations
The Blackstone Hotel
The Blackstone Hotel is a historic 290-foot (88 m) 21-story hotel located on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Balbo Drive in the Michigan Boulevard Historic District in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. The Blackstone is famous for hosting celebrity guests, including numerous U.S. presidents, for which it was known as the "Hotel of Presidents" for much of the 20th century,[2] and for contributing the term "smoke-filled room" to political parlance.[3]
The hotel and the adjacent Blackstone Theatre were built on the site of Timothy Blackstone's mansion by John and Tracy Drake, sons of Blackstone's former business partner, the hotel magnate John Drake. John and Tracy Drake also developed the Drake Hotel. Their father had been a director of Blackstone's Chicago and Alton Railroad.[4] At the time of the opening, the hotel and theatre were located at the southern edge of the Chicago Theatre District at Michigan Avenue and Hubbard Court (which was first renamed 7th Street and later Balbo Drive).[5]
The hotel was named for Timothy Blackstone, a notable Chicago business executive and politician, who served as the founding president of the Union Stock Yards, president of the Chicago and Alton Railroad, and mayor of La Salle, Illinois. It was built from 1908 to 1910 and designed by Marshall and Fox.[6] The original construction was capitalized at $1.5 million ($27.9 million today), including a $600,000 to $750,000 bond issue by the Drake Hotel Company.[7] In the 1920s, the Drake Hotel Company undertook some financing arrangements which included extending their debt to construct the Drake Hotel. They used the Blackstone Hotel as collateral for one loan in 1927.[8] The Wall Street Crash of 1929 rippled into the hotel industry, leaving the Chicago Title and Trust Company with 30 Chicago hotels in receivership and causing the Drakes to default in 1932.[8] The hotel ended up belonging to Metropolitan Life, which held the mortgage. MetLife leased the Blackstone to hotelier Arnold Kirkeby in 1936, and Kirkeby bought the hotel outright in 1941.[9] Kirkeby sold the hotel to Sheraton Hotels in 1954 and it was renamed the Sheraton-Blackstone Hotel. The hotel endured troubles in the late 1960s, as the neighborhood surrounding it declined,[10] and Sheraton finally sold the property to local hotelier Mark Friedman on September 12, 1973, for $5 million[11] and the hotel became the Blackstone Hotel again. In 1995, the Blackstone was sold to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.[12]
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