How to Find the Best Barbering College Near Tigard Oregon
Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Tigard OR, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial 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 relate to the same kind of school. We'll speak a little bit more about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Tigard residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about 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?
A barber is a professional who cuts, trims, and styles hair for primarily male clients, though many women with shorter hairstyles opt to go to these professionals too. Most barbers also provide facial hair maintenance, custom shaves and other men's grooming services. The goal of a barber is to make each client feel comfortable and at ease while their hair is being cut or styled. The barber also seeks to ensure that the client is happy with his or her hairstyle, length and color or his new facial hair style. They usually use tools such as scissors, clippers, razors, and combs Barbers may also provide other services such as applying lotions, shampooing, styling, coloring hair, and singeing. In addition, a barber may perform massage services for the scalp, neck, and face. Finally, barbers will typically bill the client, accept payment and tips and finalize the sale. They may also sell the client products such as shampoo, lotions, or tonics that will meet their styling, grooming and maintenance needs between appointments. They will clean their work area and tools according to the state's safety and sanitation requirements after each appointment.
Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Tigard OR residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in Tigard OR for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Tigard OR barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Oregon school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 open a barber shop in Tigard OR, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Tigard OR barber college offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that she or he receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with area employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Tigard OR area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, 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 Assistance Offered? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided in Tigard OR.
How to Train in Barbering in Tigard
Enroll in the Right Tigard Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber school is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process 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 foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional barber in Tigard Oregon.