How to Pick the Right Barber College Near West Palm Beach Florida

Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near West Palm Beach 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 prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your West Palm Beach home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss 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 Barbering Schools

Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your West Palm Beach FL residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in West Palm Beach 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, a number of businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with West Palm Beach FL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Florida school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a barber shop in West Palm Beach FL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a West Palm Beach FL barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that he or she receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with local businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which West Palm Beach FL area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad 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. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available in West Palm Beach FL.

How to Become a Barber in West Palm Beach

Enroll in the Best West Palm Beach Barber School

Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate 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 compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, 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 right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional barber in West Palm Beach Florida.

West Palm Beach Barbering Training | West Palm Beach College Of Barbering