Best Barber College Collinsville IL

How to Pick the Right Cosmetology Academy near Collinsville Illinois

Collinsville IL wedding makeup artist with client Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Collinsville IL, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Collinsville residence. Tuition will likewise 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 option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Collinsville IL hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application 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 term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Collinsville IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many 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 formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

nail techs training at Collinsville IL beauty school There are primarily two avenues available 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 usually 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Collinsville IL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Illinois Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Cosmetologist Training

student attending online beauty school in Collinsville IL Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Collinsville IL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Degree Programs

Questions to ask Collinsville IL cosmetology schools Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Collinsville IL residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 62234 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Collinsville IL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Collinsville IL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with 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 Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets 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 choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 Collinsville IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Collinsville IL employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Collinsville IL?

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

Collinsville, Illinois

Collinsville is a city located mainly in Madison County, and partially in St. Clair County, both in Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 25,579, an increase from 24,707 in 2000. Collinsville is approximately 12 miles from St. Louis, Missouri[3] and is considered part of that city's Metro-East area.[4] It is the site of the Brooks Catsup Bottle Water Tower,[5] the world's largest ketchup bottle, and is the world's horseradish capital.[6]

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, a National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site, extends beyond the boundaries of the city toward the west. This prehistoric urban complex is estimated to have had a population of thousands at its peak, long before European exploration in the area. Monks Mound, the largest man-made earthwork in North America, is part of this complex.

Collinsville is located at 38°40′28″N 89°59′43″W / 38.67444°N 89.99528°W / 38.67444; -89.99528 (38.674398, -89.995402),[7] approximately 12 miles due east of St Louis. The 90W longitude line passes through Collinsville.

Collinsville IL barber trimming hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Best Barber College. So make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional 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 right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Collinsville IL.