How to Find the Best Cosmetology Classes near Peoria Illinois
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Peoria IL, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Peoria home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses 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 anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really 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, most states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Peoria IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working 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 get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Peoria IL business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified 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 discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Classes
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Peoria IL students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Peoria IL home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 61601 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Peoria IL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Peoria IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 Peoria 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 pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves 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 growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Peoria IL businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available.
School Of Cosmetology Peoria Illinois
Choosing and enrolling in the right beauty school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in School Of Cosmetology and learning more about the topic Beauty Training Schools. So make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible 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 profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Peoria IL.
Other Beautiful Illinois Locations
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria (/piˈɔːriə/ pee-OR-ee-ə) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois,[3] and the largest city on the Illinois River. Established in 1691 by the French explorer Henri de Tonti, Peoria is the oldest European settlement in Illinois,[4] and is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois (and the third largest outside the Chicago metropolitan area), with a population of 115,007.[5] The Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 373,590 in 2011. Until 2018, Peoria was the global and national headquarters for Caterpillar Inc., one of the 30 companies composing the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and listed on the Fortune 100; in the latter year, the company relocated its headquarters to Deerfield, Illinois.[6][7]
Peoria is one of the oldest settlements in Illinois, as explorers first ventured up the Illinois River from the Mississippi. The lands that eventually would become Peoria were first settled by Europeans in 1680,[citation needed] when French explorers René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle and Henri de Tonti constructed Fort Crevecoeur.[4] This fort would later burn to the ground, and in 1813 Fort Clark, Illinois was built. When the County of Peoria was organized in 1825, Fort Clark was officially named Peoria.[8]
Peoria was named after the Peoria tribe, a member of the Illinois Confederation. The original meaning of the word is uncertain.[9] A 21st-century proposal suggests a derivation from a Proto-Algonquian word meaning "to dream with the help of a manitou."[10]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 194
6 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
8 Reviews 1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 3 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
4 Reviews 1 Reviews 