How to Choose the Best Barber College Near Stillwater Minnesota
Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Stillwater MN, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled 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 upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Stillwater residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later within 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 Become a Barber?
Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities. As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any local barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable. The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients. And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair. This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.
Questions to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Stillwater MN residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
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 certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Stillwater MN for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Stillwater MN barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, 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 looked into. And finally, contact the Minnesota school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in 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 launch a barber shop in Stillwater MN, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities involves 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 enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Stillwater MN barber school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring 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 college, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with area businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Stillwater MN area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available in Stillwater MN.
How to Become a Barber in Stillwater
Choose in the Right Stillwater Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start 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 choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional barber in Stillwater Minnesota.