How to Select the Best Barbering Training Near Amherst Massachusetts
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Amherst MA, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll talk a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Amherst residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later within 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?
Barbering is an art form, according to many, so it’s no surprise that individuals interested in becoming a barber must become authorities before they can command a barber’s chair. And one of the best and most effective ways to do so is through a comprehensive educational program. Since the early 1880s, barbering has been a tradition among men. Visiting the barber shop was often a weekly occasion, where a shave and a cut, and a little socialization among friends, were as popular as a trip to the local saloon. The barber experience still lives on, and many say it is even making a comeback as men realize the value of a great cut and a close shave. Today’s barbers must be able to deliver the highest quality services to their clients, services that cannot be found at a local mall hair salon or a unisex discount salon. Therefore, a solid education, complete with plenty of hands-on training, is a must. It is also a must for licensure, a requirement in every state. Although some states do recognize an apprenticeship as a route to licensure, all states recognize an accredited program.
What to Ask Barber Colleges
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Amherst MA home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
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 acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Amherst MA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Amherst MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Amherst MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Amherst MA barber college provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that he or she gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with local employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Amherst MA 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 broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered in Amherst MA.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Amherst
Choose in the Best Amherst Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain 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 good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Amherst Massachusetts.