How to Enroll In the Best Barber School Near Wakefield Massachusetts
Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Wakefield MA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program 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 start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll talk a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Wakefield home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about later within 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?
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.
Questions to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Wakefield MA home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those additional 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 school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in Wakefield MA for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Wakefield MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 Wakefield MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Wakefield MA barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with area businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Wakefield MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available in Wakefield MA.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Wakefield
Choose in the Best Wakefield Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Wakefield Massachusetts.