How to Find the Best Barbering College Near Oak Park Illinois

Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Oak Park IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start 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 names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a bit more about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Oak Park home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering 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 Choose Barbering?

Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities.  As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any local barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable.  The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients.  And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair.  This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.

Questions to Ask Barber Schools

Below is a list of questions that you will want to research 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 cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber training program 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining 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 many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to 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 familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many 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 important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 vision is to open 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. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and refining barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Oak Park IL barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So 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 gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with area employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Oak Park IL area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial help may be offered in Oak Park IL.

How to Become a Barber in Oak Park

Choose in the Right Oak Park Barber School

Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to 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 use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional barber in Oak Park Illinois.

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