How to Select the Right Barbering Academy Near Bend Oregon
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Bend OR, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the difference 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 talk a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bend home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing possible barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss 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
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bend OR home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in Bend OR for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Bend OR barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Oregon school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that specializes in 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 vision is to launch a barber shop in Bend OR, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires 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 allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Bend OR barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with area businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Bend OR area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools provide 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 identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be offered in Bend OR.
How to Become a Barber in Bend
Choose in the Best Bend Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional barber in Bend Oregon.