How to Choose the Right Barbering Academy Near Lawrence Massachusetts
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Lawrence MA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled 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 refer to the same kind of school. We'll talk a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lawrence home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Become a Barber?
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 Barbering Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lawrence MA home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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 put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber school you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Lawrence 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 businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lawrence MA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 aspiration is to open a barber shop in Lawrence MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Lawrence MA barber school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that she or he gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with local employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Lawrence MA area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be provided in Lawrence MA.
How to Train in Barbering in Lawrence
Choose in the Right Lawrence Barber College
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast 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 impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional barber in Lawrence Massachusetts.