How to Pick the Right Barbering College Near Wheeling Illinois
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Wheeling IL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear 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 type of school. We'll discuss a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Wheeling home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later in 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.
Questions to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Wheeling IL home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Wheeling IL for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not employ 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 school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Wheeling IL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose 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? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a barber shop in Wheeling 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 provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Wheeling IL barber college provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating 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 college, it's essential that he or she receives support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with area employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Wheeling IL area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive 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. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with 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 accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided in Wheeling IL.
How to Train in Barbering in Wheeling
Enroll in the Best Wheeling Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional barber in Wheeling Illinois.