How to Choose the Right Barber College Near Miami Lakes Florida
Since you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Miami Lakes FL, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll talk a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Miami Lakes home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding 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 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 Barbering Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Miami Lakes FL residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Miami Lakes FL for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Miami Lakes FL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, 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 finally, contact the Florida school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in 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 desire is to open a barber shop in Miami Lakes FL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct 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 Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Miami Lakes FL barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he receives support in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with local employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which Miami Lakes FL area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be offered in Miami Lakes FL.
How to Choose a Barber College in Miami Lakes
Enroll in the Right Miami Lakes Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional barber in Miami Lakes Florida.