How to Pick the Right Barbering Course Near Scranton Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near Scranton PA, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit confused 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 kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Scranton home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the best option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later within 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?
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 Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Scranton PA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber college you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Scranton PA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement 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 positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. 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 sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Scranton PA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Scranton PA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Scranton PA barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search 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 essential that she or he receives support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Scranton PA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded 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 considering have a financial aid department. Consult with 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 available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered in Scranton PA.
How to Choose a Barber School in Scranton
Enroll in the Right Scranton Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses 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 good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided 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 start your new career as a professional barber in Scranton Pennsylvania.