How to Find the Right Barber Academy Near Kettering Ohio
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Kettering OH, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Kettering home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering 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?
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 list of questions that you should look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Kettering OH home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
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 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in Kettering OH for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any barber college 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. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Kettering OH 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 propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Ohio school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention 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 open a barber shop in Kettering OH, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Kettering OH barber college provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with area businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Kettering OH area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available in Kettering OH.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Kettering
Enroll in the Right Kettering Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, 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 prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Kettering Ohio.