How to Select the Best Barbering College Near Norwalk Connecticut
Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Norwalk CT, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Norwalk home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as 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 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.
Questions to Ask Barber Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Norwalk CT home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 college. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you pick 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 may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in Norwalk CT for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement 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 positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Norwalk CT barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Connecticut school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a barber shop in Norwalk CT, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Norwalk CT barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with local businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Norwalk CT area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be provided in Norwalk CT.
How to Train in Barbering in Norwalk
Enroll in the Best Norwalk Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect 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 contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Norwalk Connecticut.