How to Find the Best Barbering Academy Near Monrovia California
Since you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Monrovia CA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather 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 type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Monrovia home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing potential barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at 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?
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 Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Monrovia CA home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Monrovia CA for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria 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 favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Monrovia CA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the California 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? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example 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 goal 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 Monrovia CA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Monrovia CA barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that he or she gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with local employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Monrovia CA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be offered in Monrovia CA.
How to Choose a Barber College in Monrovia
Choose in the Right Monrovia Barber College
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. 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 Monrovia California.