How to Pick the Right Barbering Training Near Lafayette Louisiana
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Lafayette LA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lafayette residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a 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 Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lafayette LA residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Lafayette LA 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 businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Lafayette LA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Louisiana 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 Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 open a barber shop in Lafayette LA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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 Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands 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 enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Lafayette LA barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with local businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Lafayette LA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided in Lafayette LA.
How to Choose a Barber College in Lafayette
Enroll in the Best Lafayette Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in Lafayette Louisiana.
Lafayette How To Become A Barber | Lafayette Barbering Classes