How to Select the Best Barbering College Near Sterling Heights Michigan
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Sterling Heights MI, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might 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 pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Sterling Heights home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Choose Barbering?
Barbering is an art form, according to many, so it’s no surprise that individuals interested in becoming a barber must become authorities before they can command a barber’s chair. And one of the best and most effective ways to do so is through a comprehensive educational program. Since the early 1880s, barbering has been a tradition among men. Visiting the barber shop was often a weekly occasion, where a shave and a cut, and a little socialization among friends, were as popular as a trip to the local saloon. The barber experience still lives on, and many say it is even making a comeback as men realize the value of a great cut and a close shave. Today’s barbers must be able to deliver the highest quality services to their clients, services that cannot be found at a local mall hair salon or a unisex discount salon. Therefore, a solid education, complete with plenty of hands-on training, is a must. It is also a must for licensure, a requirement in every state. Although some states do recognize an apprenticeship as a route to licensure, all states recognize an accredited program.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Sterling Heights MI home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have put together some of those additional 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 school you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with 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 available in Sterling Heights MI for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several 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 favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Sterling Heights MI barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, contact 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, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 dream is to open a barber shop in Sterling Heights MI, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities demands 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 allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Sterling Heights MI barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that she or he gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Sterling Heights MI area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered in Sterling Heights MI.
How to Become a Barber in Sterling Heights
Enroll in the Best Sterling Heights Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional barber in Sterling Heights Michigan.
Sterling Heights Barber Training | Sterling Heights Barbering Schools