How to Enroll In the Best Barber College Near Ithaca New York
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Ithaca NY, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear 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 kind of school. We'll talk a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Ithaca residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later within 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 Become a Barber?
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.
What to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Ithaca NY residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, 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 securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in Ithaca NY for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not recruit 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 considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. 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, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Ithaca NY barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a barber shop in Ithaca NY, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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 Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Ithaca NY barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with area employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Ithaca NY area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might 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 each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available in Ithaca NY.
How to Train in Barbering in Ithaca
Choose in the Right Ithaca Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident 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 utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Ithaca New York.