How to Find the Best Barber Training Program Near College Park Maryland
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near College Park MD, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the school you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your College Park residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance 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 discuss a little 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 will want to research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your College Park MD residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must 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 every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber school you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in College Park MD for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous businesses 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? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with College Park MD 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 recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a barber shop in College Park MD, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a College Park MD barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with local businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which College Park MD area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive 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. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of 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 cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be offered in College Park MD.
How to Become a Barber in College Park
Choose in the Right College Park Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional barber in College Park Maryland.