How to Pick the Best Barber Academy Near Duncan Oklahoma
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Duncan OK, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear 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 discuss a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Duncan home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance 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 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.
Questions to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Duncan OK residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Duncan OK for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement 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 individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Duncan OK barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Oklahoma school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a barber shop in Duncan OK, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities demands lots 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 skills on real people. If a Duncan OK barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type 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 gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Duncan OK area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be available in Duncan OK.
How to Choose a Barber School in Duncan
Enroll in the Right Duncan Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional barber in Duncan Oklahoma.