How to Choose the Best Barber College Near Saint Charles Missouri
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Saint Charles MO, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Saint Charles residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about 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 Become a Barber?
Barbering, which is as old as America itself, is certainly a career steeped in tradition. Many of today’s barbers use the same equipment or tools, practice the same techniques, and retain the atmosphere of barber shops of long ago. In fact, not much has changed in barbering, as this profession is considered an art form that requires skill, training, a steady hand, and a sharp eye. As a barber, you get to specialize in the cutting, trimming, and styling of hair, mustaches, and beards. Barbers are the specialists in masculine style, providing facial, shaving, and hair-cutting services to men. The barber career choice has also seen a recent resurgence or rise in popularity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of barbers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. If you’re passionate about beginning a career in the barber industry and are ready to blaze a path in this booming industry, then entering this particular field does require you to obtain specialized schooling.
What to Ask Barber Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Saint Charles MO home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in Saint Charles 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, a number of businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Saint Charles MO barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, 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. Finally, check with the Missouri school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 goal is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a barber shop in Saint Charles MO, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask 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 make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Saint Charles MO barber school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with local businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Saint Charles MO area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available in Saint Charles MO.
How to Choose a Barber College in Saint Charles
Choose in the Right Saint Charles Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the right barber college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional barber in Saint Charles Missouri.
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