How to Find the Best Barbering School Near Lafayette Louisiana
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Lafayette LA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear 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 refer to the same type of school. We'll speak a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lafayette residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when evaluating possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the best option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about 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?
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 Barbering Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lafayette LA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber training program you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Lafayette LA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lafayette LA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Louisiana school licensing authority to see 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, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a barber shop in Lafayette LA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Lafayette LA barber school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that he or she receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with local businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Lafayette LA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be available in Lafayette LA.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Lafayette
Enroll in the Right Lafayette Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down 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 prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Lafayette Louisiana.