How to Pick the Right Barbering College Near San Francisco California
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near San Francisco CA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction 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 about that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your San Francisco residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing potential barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at 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 Barber Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your San Francisco CA residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber training program you pick 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in San Francisco CA for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not hire 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 industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with San Francisco CA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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 often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 desire is to launch 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. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a San Francisco CA barber college provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that she or he gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with area businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which San Francisco CA area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available in San Francisco CA.
How to Choose a Barber College in San Francisco
Enroll in the Best San Francisco Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the right barber school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address 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 test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional barber in San Francisco California.
San Francisco Barber Academy | San Francisco Barbering Courses