How to Select the Best Barber Training Program Near Franklin Park Illinois

Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Franklin Park IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear 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 type of school. We'll talk 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 Franklin Park home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss 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 Schools

Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Franklin Park IL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, 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 necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in Franklin Park IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Franklin Park IL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, 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. And last, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a barber shop in Franklin Park 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 poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Franklin Park IL barber college provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that he or she gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Franklin Park IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be available in Franklin Park IL.

How to Choose a Barber College in Franklin Park

Enroll in the Best Franklin Park Barber College

Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Franklin Park Illinois.

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