How to Find the Right Barbering College Near Irvine California
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Irvine CA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Irvine home. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Choose Barbering?
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 Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Irvine CA home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber school you choose 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 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 obtainable in Irvine 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, many employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Irvine CA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a barber shop in Irvine CA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Irvine CA barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that she or he receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with local businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Irvine CA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be provided in Irvine CA.
How to Choose a Barber College in Irvine
Enroll in the Right Irvine Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget 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 information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Irvine California.