How to Find the Best Barbering Training Program Near Round Lake Illinois
Since you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Round Lake IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin 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 titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll speak a little bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Round Lake home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as 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 discuss a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Choose Barbering?
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 Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Round Lake IL residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Round Lake IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Round Lake IL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 vision is to open a barber shop in Round Lake 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 weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out 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 growing skills on volunteers. If a Round Lake IL barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with local employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Round Lake IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask 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. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be offered in Round Lake IL.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Round Lake
Choose in the Right Round Lake Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Round Lake Illinois.