How to Choose the Best Barbering School Near Bellflower California
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Bellflower CA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. 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 regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bellflower home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Become a Barber?
Barbershops have always been a place for men to get their hair cut, socialize, and gab about everything from sports to stock tips. Although today some women visit barbershops and some men visit stylists and salons, the barbershop and its iconic red, white, and blue striped pole is still a cornerstone of male culture. If you’ve got an eye for style, a creative flair, and an appreciation for America’s unique barbershop culture, a career as a barber could be your calling. As a barber, you’ll cut, style, shape, and treat men’s hair, and sometimes women’s and children’s hair, too. You’ll give shaves and trim facial hair and sometimes perform neck and scalp massages. Like all specialists in the field of cosmetology, you’ll make a ritual out of maintaining your tools, station, and clients to the highest standards of hygiene and sanitization.
What to Ask Barbering Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Bellflower CA home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber training program 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in Bellflower CA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous employers 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? Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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 sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Bellflower CA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the California 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 Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a barber shop in Bellflower CA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Bellflower CA barber college offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that he or she gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with area businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Bellflower CA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available in Bellflower CA.
How to Choose a Barber School in Bellflower
Enroll in the Right Bellflower Barber College
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the barber 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 certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter 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 launch your new career as a professional barber in Bellflower California.