How to Select the Best Barber College Near Juneau Alaska
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Juneau AK, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Juneau residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Become a Barber?
Barbering is an art form, according to many, so it’s no surprise that individuals interested in becoming a barber must become authorities before they can command a barber’s chair. And one of the best and most effective ways to do so is through a comprehensive educational program. Since the early 1880s, barbering has been a tradition among men. Visiting the barber shop was often a weekly occasion, where a shave and a cut, and a little socialization among friends, were as popular as a trip to the local saloon. The barber experience still lives on, and many say it is even making a comeback as men realize the value of a great cut and a close shave. Today’s barbers must be able to deliver the highest quality services to their clients, services that cannot be found at a local mall hair salon or a unisex discount salon. Therefore, a solid education, complete with plenty of hands-on training, is a must. It is also a must for licensure, a requirement in every state. Although some states do recognize an apprenticeship as a route to licensure, all states recognize an accredited program.
Questions to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Juneau AK home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Juneau AK for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Juneau AK barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Alaska school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Juneau AK, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Juneau AK barber college offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating 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 barber school, it's important that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with area businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Juneau AK area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be offered in Juneau AK.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Juneau
Enroll in the Right Juneau Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college 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 article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in Juneau Alaska.