How to Pick the Right Barber Course Near Highland Park Illinois
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Highland Park IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the contrast 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 need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Highland Park home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the best choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when analyzing 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 talk a little 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.
What to Ask Barbering Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Highland Park IL residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Highland Park IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. 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, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Highland Park IL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a barber shop in Highland Park IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Highland Park IL barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish 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 gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with local businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Highland Park IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be offered in Highland Park IL.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Highland Park
Choose in the Right Highland Park Barber College
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is essential to obtain the proper 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. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer 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. Once 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 Highland Park Illinois.
Highland Park Barbering Training | Highland Park College Of Barbering