How to Choose the Best Barbering College Near Oak Forest Illinois
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Oak Forest IL, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a bit more about that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Oak Forest residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about 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 Barber Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Oak Forest IL home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Oak Forest 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 favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Oak Forest IL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 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 aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Oak Forest IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Oak Forest IL barber school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that he or she receives aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with area employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Oak Forest IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be provided in Oak Forest IL.
How to Become a Barber in Oak Forest
Choose in the Right Oak Forest Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional barber in Oak Forest Illinois.