How to Find the Right Barber College Near Fort Collins Colorado

Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Fort Collins CO, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat 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 speak a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Fort Collins home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering 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 Choose Barbering?

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 Training Programs

Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Fort Collins CO home, in addition to the price 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 reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Fort Collins CO 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 businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Fort Collins CO 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 propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Colorado school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand 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 intention 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 Fort Collins CO, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Fort Collins CO barber school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that he or she receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with local employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Fort Collins CO area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available in Fort Collins CO.

How to Train to Be a Barber in Fort Collins

Choose in the Best Fort Collins Barber School

Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer 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 choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional barber in Fort Collins Colorado.

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