How to Select the Best Barber College Near South Whitehall Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near South Whitehall PA, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Whitehall residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at 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.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your South Whitehall PA residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber college you choose 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in South Whitehall PA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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 together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with South Whitehall PA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest 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 filed 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, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on 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 aspiration is to open a barber shop in South Whitehall PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a South Whitehall PA barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which South Whitehall PA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial help may be provided in South Whitehall PA.
How to Become a Barber in South Whitehall
Enroll in the Right South Whitehall Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the right barber training program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in South Whitehall Pennsylvania.
South Whitehall Barbering Training | South Whitehall College Of Barbering