How to Choose the Best Barber School Near San Jose California
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near San Jose CA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your San Jose home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about 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 Choose Barbering?
Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities. As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any local barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable. The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients. And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair. This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.
What to Ask Barbering Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your San Jose CA home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in San Jose CA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. 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 services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with San Jose CA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full 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, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a barber shop in San Jose CA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a San Jose CA barber school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with area businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which San Jose CA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. 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 available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be offered in San Jose CA.
How to Train to Be a Barber in San Jose
Enroll in the Best San Jose Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional barber in San Jose California.