Beauty College Granite City IL

How to Enroll In the Right Cosmetology Program near Granite City Illinois

Granite City IL wedding makeup artist with client Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Granite City IL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear 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 speak a bit more about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Granite City home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Granite City IL hair stylist cutting hair Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Granite City IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by 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 stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

nail techs training at Granite City IL beauty school There are basically two options 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Granite City IL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative 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 cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Beauty Training

student attending online beauty school in Granite City IL Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Granite City IL students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 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 away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools

Questions to ask Granite City IL cosmetology schools Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Granite City IL residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 62040 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Granite City IL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Granite City IL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on 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 launch a hair salon in Granite City 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Granite City IL employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Considering Cosmetology Schools in Granite City IL?

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

Granite City, Illinois

Granite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, within the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. The population was 29,849 at the 2010 census, making it the second-largest city in the Metro East and Southern Illinois regions, behind Belleville. Officially founded in 1896, Granite City was named by the Niedringhaus brothers, William and Frederick, who established it as a steel making company town for the manufacture of kitchen utensils made to resemble granite.

The area was settled much earlier than Granite City's official founding. In the early 19th century, settlers began to farm the rich fertile grounds to the east of St. Louis. Around 1801, the area saw the establishment of Six Mile Settlement, a farming area that occupied the area of present-day Granite City, six miles (10 km) from St. Louis.[3] Soon after, around 1806, the National Road was to be constructed through the area, but it was never completed.[3] By 1817, the area became known as Six Mile Prairie, to distinguish it from Six Mile Township.[3] By 1854, the first railroad was built.[4] In 1856, the area known as Six Mile would be changed to Kinder.[4]

Granite City was founded in 1896 to be a planned company city similar to Pullman, Illinois, by German immigrant brothers Frederick G. and William Niedringhaus for their Granite ware kitchen supplies factory.

Granite City IL barber trimming hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in learning more about Beauty College. So be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Granite City IL.