How to Choose the Best Barbering Academy Near Commerce Michigan
Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near Commerce MI, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the difference 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 bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Commerce home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at 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?
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 Barber Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Commerce MI home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 training program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Commerce MI for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses 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 in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Commerce MI barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 Commerce MI, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Commerce MI barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with area businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Commerce MI area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be provided in Commerce MI.
How to Choose a Barber College in Commerce
Choose in the Right Commerce Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Commerce Michigan.