How to Choose the Best Barber College Near Stoneham Massachusetts
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Stoneham MA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the contrast 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 type of school. We'll speak a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Stoneham residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the best option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about 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 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.
What to Ask Barbering Colleges
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Stoneham MA home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Stoneham 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 may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Stoneham MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, 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 thought of. And finally, contact 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 Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a barber shop in Stoneham MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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? Practicing and mastering barbering techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Stoneham MA barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that he or she receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with local businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Stoneham MA area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. 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 meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be offered in Stoneham MA.
How to Train in Barbering in Stoneham
Enroll in the Right Stoneham Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional barber in Stoneham Massachusetts.