How to Choose the Best Barbering College Near Owings Mills Maryland

Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Owings Mills MD, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused 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 talk a little bit more concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Owings Mills residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning 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 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 Barber Colleges

Below is a list of questions that you should research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Owings Mills MD home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber training program you enroll in 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Owings Mills MD for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Owings Mills MD barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a barber shop in Owings Mills MD, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Owings Mills MD barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that she or he gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with local employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which Owings Mills MD area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be provided in Owings Mills MD.

How to Choose a Barber College in Owings Mills

Choose in the Right Owings Mills Barber College

Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive 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 data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, 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 ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Owings Mills Maryland.

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