How to Select the Best Barber School Near Fairfield Connecticut
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Fairfield CT, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll speak a bit more about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Fairfield home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing possible barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about 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.
Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Fairfield CT home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Fairfield CT for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Fairfield CT barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Fairfield CT, then you want 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 require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Fairfield CT barber school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that he or she gets support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with local employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Fairfield CT area shops and organizations 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be provided in Fairfield CT.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Fairfield
Choose in the Right Fairfield Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive 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 utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Fairfield Connecticut.