How to Choose the Best Barbering School Near Gainesville Florida

Now that you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Gainesville FL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the distinction 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 discuss a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Gainesville residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at 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 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

Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Gainesville FL residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you select 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in Gainesville FL 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 may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Gainesville FL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Florida school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 Gainesville FL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check 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 developing skills on volunteers. If a Gainesville FL barber college furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Gainesville FL area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most 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 learn 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 also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial help may be available in Gainesville FL.

How to Choose a Barber College in Gainesville

Choose in the Best Gainesville Barber School

Selecting and enrolling in the right barber school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. 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 Gainesville Florida.

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