How to Find the Best Barbering College Near North Chicago Illinois
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near North Chicago IL, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast 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 type of school. We'll speak a bit more about that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your North Chicago home. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Become a Barber?
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 Barbering Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your North Chicago IL home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental 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 college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in North Chicago IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with North Chicago IL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose 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 North Chicago IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out 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 allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a North Chicago IL barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with local employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which North Chicago IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered in North Chicago IL.
How to Train in Barbering in North Chicago
Choose in the Right North Chicago Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in North Chicago Illinois.