How to Pick the Best Barber Training Near Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Bethlehem PA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the school you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bethlehem home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a 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.
Questions to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Bethlehem PA residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Bethlehem PA for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may 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 industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Bethlehem PA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed 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 example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 desire is to start a barber shop in Bethlehem PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Bethlehem PA barber school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that he or she gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with local employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Bethlehem PA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing 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 meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial help may be provided in Bethlehem PA.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Bethlehem
Enroll in the Right Bethlehem Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional barber in Bethlehem Pennsylvania.