How to Pick the Right Barber Training Program Near Hazelwood Missouri
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Hazelwood MO, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit 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 relate to the same type of school. We'll speak a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Hazelwood residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering 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 Become a Barber?
Barbering can be considered a subspecialty in the larger field of cosmetology. While cosmetologists train to work in hair, nails, skin, makeup, and overall beauty enhancement, barbers focus on cutting hair, almost exclusively men’s hair, and giving shaves and trimming facial hair. They might learn specialized techniques such as coloring and permanent waving like cosmetologists do, but it’s not essential. Barbers and cosmetologists also earn different licenses that specify which services they can legally perform. The first step to becoming a barber is to complete a barbering program. You might choose to enroll in a dedicated barber school or sign up for a barbering program in a cosmetology school that offers barbering as a specialty. Because states have different requirements for training and licensure, it is important to start by checking with your state cosmetology board.
Questions to Ask Barbering Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Hazelwood MO residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Hazelwood MO for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Hazelwood MO barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on 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 aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Hazelwood MO, 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 poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Hazelwood MO barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with local businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Hazelwood MO area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available in Hazelwood MO.
How to Become a Barber in Hazelwood
Enroll in the Right Hazelwood Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. 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 ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional barber in Hazelwood Missouri.