How to Enroll In the Best Barbering Training Near O Fallon Illinois
Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near O Fallon IL, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start 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 titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more regarding 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 O Fallon home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later in 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 Become a Barber?
Barbershops have always been a place for men to get their hair cut, socialize, and gab about everything from sports to stock tips. Although today some women visit barbershops and some men visit stylists and salons, the barbershop and its iconic red, white, and blue striped pole is still a cornerstone of male culture. If you’ve got an eye for style, a creative flair, and an appreciation for America’s unique barbershop culture, a career as a barber could be your calling. As a barber, you’ll cut, style, shape, and treat men’s hair, and sometimes women’s and children’s hair, too. You’ll give shaves and trim facial hair and sometimes perform neck and scalp massages. Like all specialists in the field of cosmetology, you’ll make a ritual out of maintaining your tools, station, and clients to the highest standards of hygiene and sanitization.
What to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your O Fallon IL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 college. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber college you choose 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in O Fallon IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent 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, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with O Fallon IL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention 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 vision is to start a barber shop in O Fallon IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a O Fallon IL barber college provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that he or she gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with area businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which O Fallon IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad 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. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be offered in O Fallon IL.
How to Train to Be a Barber in O Fallon
Choose in the Right O Fallon Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional barber in O Fallon Illinois.