How to Find the Best Barber Course Near Lewiston Maine
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Lewiston ME, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll discuss a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lewiston residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at 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 Choose Barbering?
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 Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lewiston ME residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber training program you pick 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 may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Lewiston ME for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many employers will not hire 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 evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lewiston ME barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention 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 desire is to launch a barber shop in Lewiston ME, then you want 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 deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Lewiston ME barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with area businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Lewiston ME area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available in Lewiston ME.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Lewiston
Enroll in the Best Lewiston Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber college is essential 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. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional barber in Lewiston Maine.