How to Pick the Right Barber College Near Highland Park Illinois

Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near Highland Park IL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Highland Park residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating possible barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.

Why Choose Barbering?

Barbering can be considered a subspecialty in the larger field of cosmetology. While cosmetologists train to work in hair, nails, skin, makeup, and overall beauty enhancement, barbers focus on cutting hair, almost exclusively men’s hair, and giving shaves and trimming facial hair. They might learn specialized techniques such as coloring and permanent waving like cosmetologists do, but it’s not essential. Barbers and cosmetologists also earn different licenses that specify which services they can legally perform. The first step to becoming a barber is to complete a barbering program. You might choose to enroll in a dedicated barber school or sign up for a barbering program in a cosmetology school that offers barbering as a specialty. Because states have different requirements for training and licensure, it is important to start by checking with your state cosmetology board.

Questions to Ask Barber Training Programs

Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Highland Park IL residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

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

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Highland Park IL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire 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 weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Highland Park IL barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that he or she receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Highland Park IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be provided in Highland Park IL.

How to Become a Barber in Highland Park

Enroll in the Best Highland Park Barber School

Finding and enrolling in the right barber college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional barber in Highland Park Illinois.

Highland Park Barbering Colleges | Highland Park Schools For Barbering