How to Select the Right Barbering School Near Santa Barbara California

Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Santa Barbara CA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit 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 pertain to the same kind of school. We'll talk a little bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Santa Barbara home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential 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 a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.

Why Become a Barber?

Barbering can be considered a subspecialty in the larger field of cosmetology. While cosmetologists train to work in hair, nails, skin, makeup, and overall beauty enhancement, barbers focus on cutting hair, almost exclusively men’s hair, and giving shaves and trimming facial hair. They might learn specialized techniques such as coloring and permanent waving like cosmetologists do, but it’s not essential. Barbers and cosmetologists also earn different licenses that specify which services they can legally perform. The first step to becoming a barber is to complete a barbering program. You might choose to enroll in a dedicated barber school or sign up for a barbering program in a cosmetology school that offers barbering as a specialty. Because states have different requirements for training and licensure, it is important to start by checking with your state cosmetology board.

Questions to Ask Barbering Schools

Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Santa Barbara CA home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together several of those additional 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 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 meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Santa Barbara CA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Santa Barbara CA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select 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 aspiration is to start a barber shop in Santa Barbara CA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Santa Barbara CA barber college furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Santa Barbara CA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be offered in Santa Barbara CA.

How to Train to Be a Barber in Santa Barbara

Enroll in the Right Santa Barbara Barber College

Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to collect 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 beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied 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 begin your new career as a professional barber in Santa Barbara California.

Santa Barbara Barbering Colleges | Santa Barbara Schools For Barbering