How to Enroll In the Best Barbering Academy Near Pottstown Pennsylvania
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Pottstown PA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the distinction 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 type of school. We'll speak a bit more concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Pottstown residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Become a Barber?
Barbering can be considered a subspecialty in the larger field of cosmetology. While cosmetologists train to work in hair, nails, skin, makeup, and overall beauty enhancement, barbers focus on cutting hair, almost exclusively men’s hair, and giving shaves and trimming facial hair. They might learn specialized techniques such as coloring and permanent waving like cosmetologists do, but it’s not essential. Barbers and cosmetologists also earn different licenses that specify which services they can legally perform. The first step to becoming a barber is to complete a barbering program. You might choose to enroll in a dedicated barber school or sign up for a barbering program in a cosmetology school that offers barbering as a specialty. Because states have different requirements for training and licensure, it is important to start by checking with your state cosmetology board.
Questions to Ask Barbering Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Pottstown PA residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Pottstown PA for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria 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 those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Pottstown PA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 dream is to start a barber shop in Pottstown PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Pottstown PA barber school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that he or she gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with area businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Pottstown PA area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available in Pottstown PA.
How to Become a Barber in Pottstown
Choose in the Right Pottstown Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information 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 reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down 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 start your new career as a professional barber in Pottstown Pennsylvania.