How to Select the Best Barber School Near Streamwood Illinois
Once you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Streamwood IL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin 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 titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Streamwood residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk 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 Barber Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Streamwood IL home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber college you choose 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Streamwood IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Streamwood IL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to start a barber shop in Streamwood IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Streamwood IL barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that she or he gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with local businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Streamwood IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. 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 also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided in Streamwood IL.
How to Become a Barber in Streamwood
Choose in the Right Streamwood Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. 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 proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional barber in Streamwood Illinois.
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