How to Enroll In the Best Barbering Course Near Dekalb Illinois
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Dekalb IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference 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 discuss a bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Dekalb home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Choose Barbering?
Barbering is an art form, according to many, so it’s no surprise that individuals interested in becoming a barber must become authorities before they can command a barber’s chair. And one of the best and most effective ways to do so is through a comprehensive educational program. Since the early 1880s, barbering has been a tradition among men. Visiting the barber shop was often a weekly occasion, where a shave and a cut, and a little socialization among friends, were as popular as a trip to the local saloon. The barber experience still lives on, and many say it is even making a comeback as men realize the value of a great cut and a close shave. Today’s barbers must be able to deliver the highest quality services to their clients, services that cannot be found at a local mall hair salon or a unisex discount salon. Therefore, a solid education, complete with plenty of hands-on training, is a must. It is also a must for licensure, a requirement in every state. Although some states do recognize an apprenticeship as a route to licensure, all states recognize an accredited program.
Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Dekalb IL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber training program you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Dekalb IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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 demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Dekalb IL barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that focuses on 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 Dekalb IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Dekalb IL barber college provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer 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 gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with local employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Dekalb IL area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of barber schools offer 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 identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to 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 discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided in Dekalb IL.
How to Choose a Barber College in Dekalb
Choose in the Best Dekalb Barber College
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain 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 data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional barber in Dekalb Illinois.