How to Choose the Best Barber College Near Valparaiso Indiana

Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near Valparaiso IN, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction 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 discuss a bit more about that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Valparaiso home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating potential barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at 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?

A barber is a professional who cuts, trims, and styles hair for primarily male clients, though many women with shorter hairstyles opt to go to these professionals too. Most barbers also provide facial hair maintenance, custom shaves and other men's grooming services. The goal of a barber is to make each client feel comfortable and at ease while their hair is being cut or styled. The barber also seeks to ensure that the client is happy with his or her hairstyle, length and color or his new facial hair style. They usually use tools such as scissors, clippers, razors, and combs Barbers may also provide other services such as applying lotions, shampooing, styling, coloring hair, and singeing. In addition, a barber may perform massage services for the scalp, neck, and face. Finally, barbers will typically bill the client, accept payment and tips and finalize the sale. They may also sell the client products such as shampoo, lotions, or tonics that will meet their styling, grooming and maintenance needs between appointments. They will clean their work area and tools according to the state's safety and sanitation requirements after each appointment.

Questions to Ask Barber Training Programs

Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Valparaiso IN residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Valparaiso IN for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous businesses will not recruit 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 college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Valparaiso IN barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Indiana school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a barber shop in Valparaiso IN, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Valparaiso IN barber school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with local employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Valparaiso IN area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered in Valparaiso IN.

How to Train to Be a Barber in Valparaiso

Choose in the Best Valparaiso Barber School

Locating and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in Valparaiso Indiana.

Valparaiso Barbering Training | Valparaiso College Of Barbering