How to Enroll In the Best Barbering Academy Near Pottstown Pennsylvania
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Pottstown PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Pottstown home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk 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.
Questions to Ask Barber Training Programs
Following is a series 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 in relation to your Pottstown PA residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Pottstown PA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm 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 organizations. If you have any relationships with Pottstown PA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. 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? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 desire is to open a barber shop in Pottstown PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Pottstown PA barber college provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that she or he receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Pottstown PA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out 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 Assistance Offered? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available in Pottstown PA.
How to Choose a Barber College in Pottstown
Enroll in the Best Pottstown Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you receive 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 certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied 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 examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional barber in Pottstown Pennsylvania.