How to Select the Right Barbering School Near Chapel Hill North Carolina
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Chapel Hill NC, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll discuss a bit more about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Chapel Hill residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at 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?
The majority of today’s barbers no doubt were inspired to explore this profession because of their own sense of style coupled with fond memories of visiting their local barber shop. For those considering this career, several trips to the barber is most definitely in order. Taking in the atmosphere, the clientele, and the work is one of the best ways to become familiar with how a barber’s day is spent. A barber is a professional who specializes in cutting and styling men’s hair and caring for men’s facial hair, skin, and scalps. Of course they are primarily employed in barbershops, although a number of high-end hotels and spas now employ barbers full-time to serve traveling businessmen. To be successful, individuals should be friendly and outgoing, and they should enjoy meeting new people and spending the better part of their day socializing with the clients they serve. Those interested in barbering should be prepared to spend the majority of the day on their feet and working with their hands. Barbers usually enjoy flexible schedules, relaxed working environments, and a solid income once they establish a regular clientele.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Chapel Hill NC home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber training program you pick 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 meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Chapel Hill NC for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of employers will not employ 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 exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Chapel Hill NC barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, 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 thought of. Finally, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a barber shop in Chapel Hill NC, then you want 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 Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Chapel Hill NC barber school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with area employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Chapel Hill NC area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available in Chapel Hill NC.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Chapel Hill
Choose in the Right Chapel Hill Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Chapel Hill North Carolina.