How to Pick the Best Barber School Near South Bend Indiana

Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near South Bend IN, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your South Bend residence. Tuition will additionally 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 best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about 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?

Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities.  As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any local barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable.  The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients.  And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair.  This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.

What to Ask Barber Schools

Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your South Bend IN home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber training program you select 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in South Bend IN for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses 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?  Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with South Bend IN barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Indiana school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a barber shop in South Bend IN, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a South Bend IN barber college provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that he or she gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with area employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which South Bend IN area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be available in South Bend IN.

How to Choose a Barber School in South Bend

Enroll in the Right South Bend Barber College

Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile 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 compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional barber in South Bend Indiana.

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