How to Choose the Right Barbering College Near Silver Spring Maryland
Once you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Silver Spring MD, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We'll speak a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Silver Spring home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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 Choose Barbering?
The majority of today’s barbers no doubt were inspired to explore this profession because of their own sense of style coupled with fond memories of visiting their local barber shop. For those considering this career, several trips to the barber is most definitely in order. Taking in the atmosphere, the clientele, and the work is one of the best ways to become familiar with how a barber’s day is spent. A barber is a professional who specializes in cutting and styling men’s hair and caring for men’s facial hair, skin, and scalps. Of course they are primarily employed in barbershops, although a number of high-end hotels and spas now employ barbers full-time to serve traveling businessmen. To be successful, individuals should be friendly and outgoing, and they should enjoy meeting new people and spending the better part of their day socializing with the clients they serve. Those interested in barbering should be prepared to spend the majority of the day on their feet and working with their hands. Barbers usually enjoy flexible schedules, relaxed working environments, and a solid income once they establish a regular clientele.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Silver Spring MD home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
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 certified 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 important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Silver Spring MD for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Silver Spring MD barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a barber shop in Silver Spring MD, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Silver Spring MD barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that she or he receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which Silver Spring MD area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded 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 considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available in Silver Spring MD.
How to Choose a Barber School in Silver Spring
Choose in the Right Silver Spring Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, 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 exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional barber in Silver Spring Maryland.
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