How to Pick the Best Barber Course Near Glendale Heights Illinois
Once you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Glendale Heights IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll talk 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 Glendale Heights residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about 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 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 Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Glendale Heights IL home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Glendale Heights IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Glendale Heights IL barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult 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, 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on 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 desire is to launch a barber shop in Glendale Heights IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires lots 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 site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Glendale Heights IL barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So 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 college, it's essential that he or she receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with local businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Glendale Heights IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available in Glendale Heights IL.
How to Train in Barbering in Glendale Heights
Choose in the Best Glendale Heights Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure 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 contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented 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 examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Glendale Heights Illinois.
Glendale Heights Barber Academy | Glendale Heights Barbering Courses