How to Enroll In the Best Barber College Near Ottawa Illinois
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Ottawa IL, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Ottawa home. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about later within 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
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Ottawa IL residence, together with 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 even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber training program you select 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in Ottawa 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 might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Ottawa IL barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose 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 total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a barber shop in Ottawa IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty 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 site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Ottawa IL barber college furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that he or she gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with area employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Ottawa 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 broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial help may be offered in Ottawa IL.
How to Become a Barber in Ottawa
Enroll in the Best Ottawa Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional barber in Ottawa Illinois.