How to Select the Right Barbering School Near Carol Stream Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Carol Stream IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles 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 anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Carol Stream home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 Barber Colleges

Following 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 Carol Stream IL home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber college you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Carol Stream IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not hire 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 evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Carol Stream IL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular 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 specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to open a barber shop in Carol Stream IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Carol Stream IL barber school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with area businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Carol Stream IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be offered in Carol Stream IL.

How to Become a Barber in Carol Stream

Enroll in the Right Carol Stream Barber College

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in Carol Stream Illinois.

Carol Stream Barbering Schools | Carol Stream Barber Academy