How to Pick the Best Barber College Near Joliet Illinois
Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near Joliet IL, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll speak a little bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Joliet home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about 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?
A barber is a professional who cuts, trims, and styles hair for primarily male clients, though many women with shorter hairstyles opt to go to these professionals too. Most barbers also provide facial hair maintenance, custom shaves and other men's grooming services. The goal of a barber is to make each client feel comfortable and at ease while their hair is being cut or styled. The barber also seeks to ensure that the client is happy with his or her hairstyle, length and color or his new facial hair style. They usually use tools such as scissors, clippers, razors, and combs Barbers may also provide other services such as applying lotions, shampooing, styling, coloring hair, and singeing. In addition, a barber may perform massage services for the scalp, neck, and face. Finally, barbers will typically bill the client, accept payment and tips and finalize the sale. They may also sell the client products such as shampoo, lotions, or tonics that will meet their styling, grooming and maintenance needs between appointments. They will clean their work area and tools according to the state's safety and sanitation requirements after each appointment.
Questions to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Joliet IL residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below 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 important to make sure that the barber training program you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Joliet IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Joliet IL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that specializes in 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 Joliet 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 require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 Joliet IL barber school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that she or he receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with local businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Joliet IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided in Joliet IL.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Joliet
Enroll in the Best Joliet Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional barber in Joliet Illinois.