How to Choose the Best Barbering Training Program Near Tinley Park Illinois
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Tinley Park IL, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might 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 titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll talk a little bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Tinley Park residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering 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 Become a Barber?
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 Barber Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Tinley Park IL residence, together with the expense 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 additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Tinley Park IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of 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? Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Tinley Park IL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. 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? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a barber shop in Tinley Park IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Tinley Park IL barber college provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with local businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Tinley Park IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available in Tinley Park IL.
How to Choose a Barber School in Tinley Park
Enroll in the Right Tinley Park Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in Tinley Park Illinois.
Tinley Park Barbering Training | Tinley Park College Of Barbering