How to Select the Best Barbering Training Near Orland Park Illinois
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Orland Park IL, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit 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 pertain to the same type of school. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Orland Park home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at 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?
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.
What to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Orland Park IL residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Orland Park 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, many employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals 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 beginning. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Orland Park IL barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 desire is to open a barber shop in Orland Park IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Orland Park IL barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that she or he gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with local businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Orland Park IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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? Most 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 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 available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be available in Orland Park IL.
How to Train in Barbering in Orland Park
Enroll in the Best Orland Park Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses 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 sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Orland Park Illinois.