How to Choose the Right Barbering School Near West Chester Pennsylvania

Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near West Chester PA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may 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 essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your West Chester home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later in 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 Choose Barbering?

A barber is a professional who cuts, trims, and styles hair for primarily male clients, though many women with shorter hairstyles opt to go to these professionals too. Most barbers also provide facial hair maintenance, custom shaves and other men's grooming services. The goal of a barber is to make each client feel comfortable and at ease while their hair is being cut or styled. The barber also seeks to ensure that the client is happy with his or her hairstyle, length and color or his new facial hair style. They usually use tools such as scissors, clippers, razors, and combs Barbers may also provide other services such as applying lotions, shampooing, styling, coloring hair, and singeing. In addition, a barber may perform massage services for the scalp, neck, and face. Finally, barbers will typically bill the client, accept payment and tips and finalize the sale. They may also sell the client products such as shampoo, lotions, or tonics that will meet their styling, grooming and maintenance needs between appointments. They will clean their work area and tools according to the state's safety and sanitation requirements after each appointment.

What to Ask Barbering Colleges

Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your West Chester PA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in West Chester PA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous businesses 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 school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with West Chester PA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 important that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a barber shop in West Chester PA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a West Chester PA barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that she or he receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with local businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which West Chester PA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available in West Chester PA.

How to Train in Barbering in West Chester

Enroll in the Best West Chester Barber College

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in West Chester Pennsylvania.

West Chester Barbering Colleges | West Chester Schools For Barbering