How to Select the Best Barber College Near Hopkinsville Kentucky
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Hopkinsville KY, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more about that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Hopkinsville home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later within 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 Barber Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Hopkinsville KY residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Hopkinsville KY for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Hopkinsville KY 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. And last, contact the Kentucky school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand 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 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 Hopkinsville KY, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Hopkinsville KY barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with local businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Hopkinsville KY area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered in Hopkinsville KY.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Hopkinsville
Enroll in the Right Hopkinsville Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure 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 information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter 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 ready to begin your career as a professional barber in Hopkinsville Kentucky.
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