How to Find the Best Barber Course Near Long Beach California
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Long Beach CA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Long Beach home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating possible barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the best option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a 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.
What to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Long Beach CA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in Long Beach CA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Long Beach CA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a barber shop in Long Beach CA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Long Beach CA barber school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate 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 he or she receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with local employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Long Beach CA area shops 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? Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered in Long Beach CA.
How to Choose a Barber School in Long Beach
Enroll in the Best Long Beach Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Long Beach California.