How to Select the Best Barbering College Near San Francisco California
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near San Francisco CA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It's important that the program you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may 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 names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your San Francisco residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing possible barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the best choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning 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 Choose Barbering?
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 Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your San Francisco CA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in San Francisco CA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses will not hire 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 evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers 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 services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with San Francisco 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 might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a barber shop in San Francisco CA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a San Francisco CA barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which San Francisco CA area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be available in San Francisco CA.
How to Train in Barbering in San Francisco
Enroll in the Best San Francisco Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional barber in San Francisco California.