How to Enroll In the Best Barbering Course Near Oak Park Illinois
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Oak Park IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference 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 refer to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oak Park home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later in 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?
The majority of today’s barbers no doubt were inspired to explore this profession because of their own sense of style coupled with fond memories of visiting their local barber shop. For those considering this career, several trips to the barber is most definitely in order. Taking in the atmosphere, the clientele, and the work is one of the best ways to become familiar with how a barber’s day is spent. A barber is a professional who specializes in cutting and styling men’s hair and caring for men’s facial hair, skin, and scalps. Of course they are primarily employed in barbershops, although a number of high-end hotels and spas now employ barbers full-time to serve traveling businessmen. To be successful, individuals should be friendly and outgoing, and they should enjoy meeting new people and spending the better part of their day socializing with the clients they serve. Those interested in barbering should be prepared to spend the majority of the day on their feet and working with their hands. Barbers usually enjoy flexible schedules, relaxed working environments, and a solid income once they establish a regular clientele.
Questions to Ask Barber Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Oak Park IL residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Oak Park IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Oak Park IL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, 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. And last, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a barber shop in Oak Park IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Oak Park IL barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that he or she gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with local employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Oak Park IL area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available in Oak Park IL.
How to Choose a Barber College in Oak Park
Enroll in the Best Oak Park Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, 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 self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Oak Park Illinois.
Oak Park Barbering Colleges | Oak Park Schools For Barbering