How to Choose the Best Barber Training Program Near Livonia Michigan
Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near Livonia MI, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It's important that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference 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 discuss a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Livonia home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing 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 talk 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 Barbering Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Livonia MI residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber college you select 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Livonia MI for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Livonia MI barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a barber shop in Livonia MI, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Livonia MI barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with area businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Livonia MI area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher 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 provide 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 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be offered in Livonia MI.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Livonia
Choose in the Best Livonia Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 selection. Once 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 Livonia Michigan.