How to Find the Best Beauty Classes near Crystal Lake Illinois
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Crystal Lake IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Crystal Lake residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
Start Your Career in Cosmetology By Requesting Your Free Information Below
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use 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 really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Crystal Lake IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Cosmetology Schools Near You!
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Crystal Lake IL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify 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 choose in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online beauty programs are convenient for Crystal Lake IL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Crystal Lake IL home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 60012 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Crystal Lake IL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Crystal Lake IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Crystal Lake IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Crystal Lake IL employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High 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 cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.
Study Cosmetology Crystal Lake Illinois
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Study Cosmetology and learning more about the topic Cosmetology Academy. So make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Crystal Lake IL.
Other Beautiful Illinois Locations
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Crystal Lake is a city in McHenry County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Named after a lake 1.6 miles (2.6 km) southwest of the city's downtown, Crystal Lake is 45 miles northwest of Chicago.[4] The population was 40,743 in 2010.[5] Crystal Lake is the largest city in McHenry County, part of the Chicago metropolitan area.[6]
The City of Crystal Lake traces its origin to two separate communities which were established in the 1800s. Those communities were generally known as Nunda and Crystal Lake. In 1835, Ziba S. Beardsley had come to the shores of the lake and commented that the "waters were as clear as crystal", thereby giving the lake its name. Ziba Beardsley continued south to Naperville. In February 1836, the first white settlers, Beman and Polly Crandall and six of their ten children, came from New York State traveling to Crystal Lake in a covered wagon. Their original cabin was built in the vicinity of today's intersection of Virginia Street and Van Buren Street. Four of the Crandall children were born there. Najah Beardsley's family was the second to settle in the area; his grandson, William Beardsley, was the first white child born on the Crystal Lake prairie, on May 7, 1837.[7]
The town was first known as Crystal Ville. It was changed to Crystal Lake sometime before 1840. The area known today as downtown Crystal Lake was first called Dearborn and later, Nunda, from an area in New York where many settlers originated. The village of Dearborn was founded in the 1850s after an extension of railroads through the area. The first train station was built in 1856, although it was pre-fabricated and shipped from Chicago on a flatcar. At that time, the main business district for the village of Crystal Lake was located on Virginia Street, about one mile (1.6 km) southwest of the railroad station. The railroad served to connect both the people and industries of Crystal Lake and Dearborn to Chicago and the rest of the country. Dearborn grew quickly due to this new rail connection.[citation needed]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 2300
9 Reviews 
49 Reviews 
67 Reviews 
10 Reviews 
30 Reviews 
14 Reviews 
16 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
4 Reviews 
65 Reviews 