How to Enroll In the Right Barber College Near Upper Darby Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Upper Darby PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Upper Darby residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering 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?
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 Barbering Schools
Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Upper Darby PA home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber training program you choose 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Upper Darby 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, a number of employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding 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. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Upper Darby PA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult 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 Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in 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 desire is to start a barber shop in Upper Darby 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 Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Upper Darby PA barber college offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that he or she receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with local businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Upper Darby PA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out 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 Assistance Offered? Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided in Upper Darby PA.
How to Train in Barbering in Upper Darby
Enroll in the Best Upper Darby Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, 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 exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in Upper Darby Pennsylvania.