How to Choose the Right Barbering College Near White Lake Michigan
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near White Lake MI, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We'll speak a bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your White Lake home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning 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.
Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your White Lake MI home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in White Lake MI for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with White Lake 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 propose others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a barber shop in White Lake 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 poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a White Lake MI barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that she or he gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which White Lake MI area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive 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. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be offered in White Lake MI.
How to Train in Barbering in White Lake
Enroll in the Best White Lake Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address 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 choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional barber in White Lake Michigan.