How to Find the Best Barber College Near Lakewood Colorado
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Lakewood CO, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled 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 relate to the same type of school. We'll talk a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lakewood residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later in 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 should research for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lakewood CO residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber college you select 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Lakewood CO for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lakewood CO barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Colorado 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 Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a barber shop in Lakewood CO, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. 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 Lakewood CO barber college offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Lakewood CO area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial help may be available in Lakewood CO.
How to Train in Barbering in Lakewood
Choose in the Right Lakewood Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses 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 sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Lakewood Colorado.
Lakewood Barbering Colleges | Lakewood Schools For Barbering