How to Select the Best Barbering School Near Kansas City Kansas
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Kansas City KS, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll talk a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Kansas City residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at later within 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.
What to Ask Barbering Colleges
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Kansas City KS home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber college you choose 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Kansas City KS for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Kansas City KS barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Kansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick 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 vision is to open a barber shop in Kansas City KS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Kansas City KS barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with area businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Kansas City KS area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided in Kansas City KS.
How to Choose a Barber College in Kansas City
Enroll in the Right Kansas City Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, 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 right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional barber in Kansas City Kansas.
Kansas City Barbering Classes | Kansas City Barbering Training