How to Enroll In the Right Barbering Training Program Near Urbandale Iowa
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Urbandale IA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Urbandale residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering 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?
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.
What to Ask Barbering Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Urbandale IA home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Urbandale IA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber college 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 references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Urbandale IA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Iowa 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 Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas 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 essential 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a barber shop in Urbandale IA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Urbandale IA barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with area businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Urbandale IA area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to 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 before you learn what financial assistance may be provided in Urbandale IA.
How to Choose a Barber School in Urbandale
Choose in the Best Urbandale Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented 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 confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Urbandale Iowa.