Accredited Local Hair Schools near Chicago IL 60601 Archives - Find Beauty and Cosmetology Schools Near You

How to Enroll In the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Chicago Illinois

Chicago IL wedding makeup artist with client Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Chicago IL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Chicago home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing 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 within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Chicago IL hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application 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 word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be 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 undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Chicago IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

nail techs training at Chicago IL beauty school There are basically two pathways 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 generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 want to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Chicago IL business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Cosmetologist Schools

student attending online beauty school in Chicago IL Online beauty schools are convenient for Chicago IL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure 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 necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs

Questions to ask Chicago IL cosmetology schools Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Chicago IL residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely 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 reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional 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 should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology school 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 60601 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Chicago IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Chicago IL salon owners or managers, or anyone 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 complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in Chicago IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Chicago IL employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Chicago IL?

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

Chicago

Chicago (/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ (listen), locally also /-ˈkɔː-/), officially the City of Chicago, is the third most populous city in the United States. As of the 2017 census-estimate, it has a population of 2,716,450, which makes it the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County, the second most populous county in the United States, and the principal city of the Chicago metropolitan area, which is often referred to as "Chicagoland." The Chicago metropolitan area at nearly 10 million people, is the third-largest in the United States, the fourth largest in North America, and the third largest metropolitan area in the world by land area.

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century.[6] After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed several square miles and left more than 100,000 homeless, the city made a concerted effort to rebuild.[7] The construction boom accelerated population growth throughout the following decades, and by 1900 Chicago was one of the five largest cities in the world.[8] During this period, Chicago made noted contributions to urban planning and zoning standards, including new construction styles (including the Chicago School of architecture), the development of the City Beautiful Movement, and the steel-framed skyscraper.[9][10]

Chicago is an international hub for finance, commerce, industry, technology, telecommunications, and transportation. It was the site of the creation of the first standardized futures contracts at the Chicago Board of Trade, which today is the largest and most diverse derivatives market in the world, generating 20% of all volume in commodities and financial futures.[11]O'Hare International Airport is the one of the busiest airports in the world, and the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and railroad freight.[12] In 2012, Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network,[13] and it ranked seventh in the entire world in the 2017 Global Cities Index.[14] Chicago has the fourth-largest gross metropolitan product in the world—generating about $670.5 billion according to September 2017 estimates—ranking it after the metropolitan areas of Tokyo, New York City, Los Angeles, and Seoul ranking around number five London and number six Paris.[15] Chicago has one of the world's largest and most diversified and balanced economies, not being dependent on any one industry, with no single industry employing more than 14% of the workforce.[16]

Learn Makeup Artistry Chicago IL

Chicago IL barber trimming hair Picking and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Learn Makeup Artistry. So be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses 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 reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Chicago IL.