How to Choose the Right Barbering College Near Slidell Louisiana
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Slidell LA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares 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 titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Slidell home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the best option. There are a number of 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 thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Become a Barber?
A barber is a professional who cuts, trims, and styles hair for primarily male clients, though many women with shorter hairstyles opt to go to these professionals too. Most barbers also provide facial hair maintenance, custom shaves and other men's grooming services. The goal of a barber is to make each client feel comfortable and at ease while their hair is being cut or styled. The barber also seeks to ensure that the client is happy with his or her hairstyle, length and color or his new facial hair style. They usually use tools such as scissors, clippers, razors, and combs Barbers may also provide other services such as applying lotions, shampooing, styling, coloring hair, and singeing. In addition, a barber may perform massage services for the scalp, neck, and face. Finally, barbers will typically bill the client, accept payment and tips and finalize the sale. They may also sell the client products such as shampoo, lotions, or tonics that will meet their styling, grooming and maintenance needs between appointments. They will clean their work area and tools according to the state's safety and sanitation requirements after each appointment.
What to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Slidell LA residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber college you pick 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 important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Slidell LA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Slidell LA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Louisiana school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 desire is to start a barber shop in Slidell LA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Slidell LA barber school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that she or he receives support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with area businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Slidell LA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered in Slidell LA.
How to Become a Barber in Slidell
Enroll in the Right Slidell Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional barber in Slidell Louisiana.