How to Select the Right Barbering School Near Silver Lake California
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Silver Lake CA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Silver Lake residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing possible barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little 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 list of questions that you need to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Silver Lake CA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Silver Lake 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 businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Silver Lake CA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, 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. And last, contact the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many 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, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a barber shop in Silver Lake CA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Silver Lake CA barber college furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that he or she receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with area employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Silver Lake CA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might 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 each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered in Silver Lake CA.
How to Become a Barber in Silver Lake
Enroll in the Right Silver Lake Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure 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 compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional barber in Silver Lake California.