How to Enroll In the Right Barbering College Near Melrose Park Illinois

Now that you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Melrose Park IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may 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 speak a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Melrose Park home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later within 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?

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.

What to Ask Barber Schools

Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Melrose Park IL home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber college you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in Melrose 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, numerous employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Melrose Park IL barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose 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 vision is to start a barber shop in Melrose Park IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Melrose Park IL barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with area businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which Melrose Park 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 extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Almost all 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. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be provided in Melrose Park IL.

How to Train in Barbering in Melrose Park

Choose in the Best Melrose Park Barber School

Locating and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to receive the necessary 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 consolidate 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 good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional barber in Melrose Park Illinois.

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