How to Choose the Best Barber Training Program Near Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Bethlehem PA, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit 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 relate to the same type of school. We'll speak a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Bethlehem home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later within 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 Become a Barber?
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 Barber Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Bethlehem PA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber training program you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Bethlehem PA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Bethlehem PA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, 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 looked into. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in 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 vision is to open a barber shop in Bethlehem PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Bethlehem PA barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that she or he receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with area employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Bethlehem PA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be provided in Bethlehem PA.
How to Choose a Barber College in Bethlehem
Enroll in the Best Bethlehem Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Bethlehem Pennsylvania.