How to Choose the Right Barbering School Near Bolingbrook Illinois
Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Bolingbrook IL, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bolingbrook home. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing possible barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a 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 Barber Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bolingbrook IL home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber college 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 comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Bolingbrook IL 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 hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Bolingbrook IL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Illinois 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? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 imperative that you enroll in 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 dream is to start a barber shop in Bolingbrook IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Bolingbrook IL barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with local businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Bolingbrook IL area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be provided in Bolingbrook IL.
How to Choose a Barber School in Bolingbrook
Choose in the Best Bolingbrook Barber College
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional barber in Bolingbrook Illinois.