How to Find the Right Barber School Near Park Forest Illinois
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Park Forest IL, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear 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 speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Park Forest home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing possible barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Become a Barber?
A barber is a professional who cuts, trims, and styles hair for primarily male clients, though many women with shorter hairstyles opt to go to these professionals too. Most barbers also provide facial hair maintenance, custom shaves and other men's grooming services. The goal of a barber is to make each client feel comfortable and at ease while their hair is being cut or styled. The barber also seeks to ensure that the client is happy with his or her hairstyle, length and color or his new facial hair style. They usually use tools such as scissors, clippers, razors, and combs Barbers may also provide other services such as applying lotions, shampooing, styling, coloring hair, and singeing. In addition, a barber may perform massage services for the scalp, neck, and face. Finally, barbers will typically bill the client, accept payment and tips and finalize the sale. They may also sell the client products such as shampoo, lotions, or tonics that will meet their styling, grooming and maintenance needs between appointments. They will clean their work area and tools according to the state's safety and sanitation requirements after each appointment.
What to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Park Forest IL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, 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 may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in Park Forest IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Park Forest IL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to start a barber shop in Park Forest IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires 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 site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Park Forest IL barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that she or he receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Park Forest IL area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify 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 investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available in Park Forest IL.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Park Forest
Enroll in the Right Park Forest Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure 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 information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in Park Forest Illinois.