How to Pick the Best Barbering Classes Near Boston Massachusetts
Since you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Boston MA, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. 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 names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more regarding 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 Boston residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering 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 Become a Barber?
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 Barbering Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Boston MA home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Boston MA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Boston MA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular 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 focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 open a barber shop in Boston MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Boston MA barber school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with local employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which Boston MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High 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 provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be available in Boston MA.
How to Train in Barbering in Boston
Choose in the Best Boston Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Boston Massachusetts.