How to Find the Right Barbering School Near New Lenox Illinois
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near New Lenox IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll discuss a bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your New Lenox residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at 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 Choose Barbering?
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.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your New Lenox IL residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should 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 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in New Lenox 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 businesses will not recruit 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 school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with New Lenox IL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with 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 Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a barber shop in New Lenox IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. 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 make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a New Lenox IL barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that she or he receives support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with local businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which New Lenox IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided in New Lenox IL.
How to Train to Be a Barber in New Lenox
Choose in the Right New Lenox Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget 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 compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional barber in New Lenox Illinois.