How to Find the Best Barber College Near Hays Kansas
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Hays KS, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program 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 begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction 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 speak a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Hays home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right choice. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering 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 Choose Barbering?
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.
Questions to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Hays KS home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber school you pick 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Hays KS for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Hays KS barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Kansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select 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 aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Hays KS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Hays KS barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Hays KS area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be available in Hays KS.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Hays
Choose in the Best Hays Barber College
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided 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 test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional barber in Hays Kansas.