How to Find the Right Barber Academy Near Ofallon Missouri
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Ofallon MO, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll talk a little bit more concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Ofallon home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about 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?
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.
Questions to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Ofallon MO home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in Ofallon MO for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Ofallon MO barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Missouri school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select 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 start a barber shop in Ofallon MO, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Ofallon MO barber school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore 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 school, it's essential that she or he gets assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with area employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Ofallon MO area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive 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 considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available in Ofallon MO.
How to Become a Barber in Ofallon
Enroll in the Best Ofallon Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional barber in Ofallon Missouri.