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

Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Franklin Park IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused 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 refer to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Franklin Park home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.

Why Become a Barber?

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 Barber Schools

Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Franklin Park IL residence, together with 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber college you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available 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 concluding benefit, numerous employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Franklin Park 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 looked into. Finally, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Franklin Park IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Studying and mastering barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Franklin Park IL barber college provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with local businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Franklin Park IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out 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 Aid Offered?  Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be provided in Franklin Park IL.

How to Become a Barber in Franklin Park

Choose in the Best Franklin Park Barber College

Finding and enrolling in the right barber training program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get 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 procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional barber in Franklin Park Illinois.

Franklin Park Barbering Training | Franklin Park College Of Barbering