How to Select the Best Barber College Near Slidell Louisiana
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Slidell LA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It's important that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast 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 relate to the same kind of school. We'll speak a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Slidell residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about 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?
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 Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Slidell LA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in Slidell LA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many 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? Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying 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 Slidell LA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, 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 considered. And last, contact the Louisiana school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total 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, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 open a barber shop in Slidell LA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Slidell LA barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with local businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Slidell LA 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. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be available in Slidell LA.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Slidell
Enroll in the Right Slidell Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional barber in Slidell Louisiana.