How to Select the Best Barber College Near Fayetteville North Carolina

Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near Fayetteville NC, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may 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 essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We'll speak a little bit more about 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 Fayetteville residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when reviewing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering later within 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?

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 Barbering Schools

Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Fayetteville NC home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in Fayetteville 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, many employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Fayetteville NC barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a barber shop in Fayetteville NC, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Fayetteville NC barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with area businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Fayetteville NC area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available in Fayetteville NC.

How to Choose a Barber College in Fayetteville

Enroll in the Right Fayetteville Barber College

Locating and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional barber in Fayetteville North Carolina.

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