How to Choose the Right Barbering Academy Near Kettering Ohio
Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Kettering OH, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll speak a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Kettering residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at later in 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 Choose Barbering?
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 Barber Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Kettering OH residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you select 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Kettering OH for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Kettering OH barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Ohio school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Kettering OH, 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 provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Kettering OH barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that she or he receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with area businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Kettering OH area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad 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. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available in Kettering OH.
How to Choose a Barber College in Kettering
Choose in the Right Kettering Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional barber in Kettering Ohio.