How to Enroll In the Right Beauty Degree Program near Chicago Heights Illinois
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Chicago Heights IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Chicago Heights residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over 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.
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Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Chicago Heights IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
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Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two pathways offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Chicago Heights IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Classes
Online beauty schools are accommodating for Chicago Heights IL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since 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 programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure 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
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Chicago Heights IL residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 60411 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Chicago Heights 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 an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetologist school 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 testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Chicago Heights 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 might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a hair salon in Chicago Heights 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Chicago Heights IL businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.
Cosmetic Classes Chicago Heights Illinois
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Cosmetic Classes and learning more about the topic Online Cosmetology School. So be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Chicago Heights IL.
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Chicago Heights, Illinois
Chicago Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 30,276 at the 2010 census.[3] In earlier years, Chicago Heights was nicknamed "The Crossroads of the Nation". Currently, it is nicknamed "The Heights".[4]
According to the 2010 census, Chicago Heights has a total area of 10.083 square miles (26.11 km2), of which 10.07 square miles (26.08 km2) (or 99.87%) is land and 0.013 square miles (0.03 km2) (or 0.13%) is water.[5]
As of the census of 2010, there were 30,276 people, 9,587 households, and 7,077 families in the city. The population density was 3,003.6 people per square mile (1,160.0/km²). There were 11,060 housing units at an average density of 1,097.2 per square mile (423.8/km²). The racial makeup was 38.0% White, 41.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 16.6% some other race, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 33.9% of the population.[8]
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