How to Find the Right Barbering School Near Silver Spring Maryland

Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Silver Spring MD, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear 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 pertain to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Silver Spring home. 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 lowest cost it's not always the ideal choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at later in 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.

Questions to Ask Barbering Schools

Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Silver Spring MD residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Silver Spring MD for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional 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. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. 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 familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Maryland 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 Focus?  A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 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 open a barber shop in Silver Spring MD, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Silver Spring MD barber college provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that he or she receives aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with local employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Silver Spring MD area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered in Silver Spring MD.

How to Choose a Barber School in Silver Spring

Choose in the Best Silver Spring Barber School

Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional barber in Silver Spring Maryland.

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