How to Select the Best Barber Training Near Southfield Michigan

Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Southfield MI, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's important that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction 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 pertain to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a bit more about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Southfield home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about 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.

Questions to Ask Barber Schools

Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Southfield MI home, as well as 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber college 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in Southfield MI 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 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 Great Reputation?  Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Southfield MI barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 Southfield MI, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct 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 Live Training Provided?  Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Southfield MI barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that he or she gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Southfield MI area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide 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. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. 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 too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial help may be offered in Southfield MI.

How to Choose a Barber School in Southfield

Enroll in the Best Southfield Barber College

Finding and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use 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 exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in Southfield Michigan.

Southfield Barber Colleges | Southfield How To Become A Barber