How to Choose the Best Barbering College Near Concord Massachusetts
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Concord MA, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the difference 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 type of school. We'll discuss a bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Concord residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other factors 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 little bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Choose Barbering?
Barbering can be considered a subspecialty in the larger field of cosmetology. While cosmetologists train to work in hair, nails, skin, makeup, and overall beauty enhancement, barbers focus on cutting hair, almost exclusively men’s hair, and giving shaves and trimming facial hair. They might learn specialized techniques such as coloring and permanent waving like cosmetologists do, but it’s not essential. Barbers and cosmetologists also earn different licenses that specify which services they can legally perform. The first step to becoming a barber is to complete a barbering program. You might choose to enroll in a dedicated barber school or sign up for a barbering program in a cosmetology school that offers barbering as a specialty. Because states have different requirements for training and licensure, it is important to start by checking with your state cosmetology board.
Questions to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Concord MA home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Concord MA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers 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 as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Concord MA 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 considered. And last, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 goal is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a barber shop in Concord MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Concord MA barber college provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search 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 essential that he or she gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Concord MA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered in Concord MA.
How to Become a Barber in Concord
Choose in the Right Concord Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain 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 use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in Concord Massachusetts.