How to Choose the Right Barbering School Near Lawrence Indiana
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Lawrence IN, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lawrence home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal choice. There are many 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 in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little 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
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lawrence IN home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Lawrence IN for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably 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 outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references 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. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lawrence IN barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Indiana 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 expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 vision is to start a barber shop in Lawrence IN, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Lawrence IN barber school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with local employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Lawrence IN area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most 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 department. Consult with 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 with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be offered in Lawrence IN.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Lawrence
Enroll in the Right Lawrence Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in Lawrence Indiana.