How to Pick the Best Barbering Course Near Enfield Connecticut
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Enfield CT, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll talk a bit more regarding 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 Enfield home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the best option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk 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.
Questions to Ask Barbering Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Enfield CT home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in Enfield CT for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Enfield CT barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 open a barber shop in Enfield CT, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Enfield CT barber college offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate 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 crucial that he or she receives assistance in landing that first 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. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which Enfield CT area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be available in Enfield CT.
How to Choose a Barber College in Enfield
Choose in the Best Enfield Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional barber in Enfield Connecticut.