How to Choose the Right Barber School Near Kernersville North Carolina
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Kernersville NC, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's important that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Kernersville home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about 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?
Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities. As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any local barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable. The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients. And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair. This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.
What to Ask Barbering Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Kernersville NC residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber training program you enroll in 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Kernersville NC for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Kernersville NC barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick 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 launch a barber shop in Kernersville NC, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Kernersville NC barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore 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 college, it's essential that she or he receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Kernersville NC area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be available in Kernersville NC.
How to Choose a Barber College in Kernersville
Choose in the Best Kernersville Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber training program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect 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 procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional barber in Kernersville North Carolina.