How to Find the Right Barber School Near Vernon Hills Illinois

Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Vernon Hills IL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the program you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast 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 little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Vernon Hills residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at 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 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.

Questions to Ask Barber Schools

Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Vernon Hills IL home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely 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 choices 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 put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber college you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Vernon Hills 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, a number of employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Vernon Hills IL barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on 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 start a barber shop in Vernon Hills IL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Vernon Hills IL barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Vernon Hills IL area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask 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 Offered?  The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be offered in Vernon Hills IL.

How to Choose a Barber College in Vernon Hills

Choose in the Right Vernon Hills Barber School

Finding and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional barber in Vernon Hills Illinois.

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