How to Enroll In the Best Barber Academy Near Highland Park Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Highland Park IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start 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 titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Highland Park residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing possible barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about 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 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 Barber Schools

Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Highland Park IL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Highland Park IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Highland Park IL barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with 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?  A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 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 desire is to start a barber shop in Highland Park IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Studying and mastering barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Highland Park IL barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with area employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Highland Park IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered in Highland Park IL.

How to Choose a Barber School in Highland Park

Choose in the Right Highland Park Barber School

Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Highland Park Illinois.

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