How to Enroll In the Best Barbering College Near Franklin Park Illinois
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Franklin Park IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Franklin Park residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering later in 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?
Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities. As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any local barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable. The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients. And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair. This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.
Questions to Ask Barber Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Franklin Park IL residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber school you select 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Franklin Park IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Franklin Park IL 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 considered. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a barber shop in Franklin Park IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Franklin Park IL barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that he or she receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with local businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Franklin Park IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided in Franklin Park IL.
How to Choose a Barber School in Franklin Park
Choose in the Best Franklin Park Barber College
Finding and enrolling in the right barber training program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional barber in Franklin Park Illinois.