Become An Esthetician Lemont IL

How to Choose the Right Cosmetology Degree Program near Lemont Illinois

Lemont IL wedding makeup artist with client Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Lemont IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lemont home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning 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 programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Lemont IL hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term 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 mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Lemont IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed 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 the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

nail techs training at Lemont IL beauty school There are essentially two avenues offered to receive 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 take 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Lemont IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified 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 examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Cosmetologist Training

student attending online beauty school in Lemont IL Online beauty classes are accommodating for Lemont IL students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Training Programs

Questions to ask Lemont IL cosmetology schools Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Lemont IL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology school you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 60439 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lemont IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lemont IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, contact 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? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 open a hair salon in Lemont IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that he or she gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Lemont IL employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, 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? 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 find out 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 also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Lemont IL?

If you are considering attending Beauty School in Lemont IL or in a nearby area, following is some interesting and useful information regarding the location of your new school campus.

Lemont, Illinois

Lemont is a village located in Cook, DuPage, and Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, and is a suburb of Chicago. The population was 16,000 as of the 2010 census. Lemont is home to Argonne National Laboratory and other heavy industrial sites, and has a substantial European immigrant population.

Lemont was originally known as Keepataw (after a Potawatomi chief) and a post office was established in 1840 as Keepatau. After that, it was named Athens and then Palmyra. The name Lemont (literally, 'the mountain' in French) was chosen in 1850 at the suggestion of Lemuel Brown, the postmaster and justice of the peace, or perhaps by his brother Nathaniel Brown.[3]

Before white settlers arrived in Lemont, Native Americans traveled the Des Plaines River in birch bark canoes on trading trips between the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan. The native Potawatomi lived off the land in this area, directly using natural resources for food, shelter, clothing and medicine. In the 18th century, French voyageurs traveled down the Des Plaines River, trading Native Americans metal, beads and cloth for animal furs and changing the Native American lifestyle forever.

Lemont IL barber trimming hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Become An Esthetician. So be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once 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 Lemont IL.