How to Find the Best Barbering Academy Near Lexington South Carolina
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Lexington SC, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll discuss a bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lexington home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss 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 Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lexington SC home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, 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 can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Lexington SC for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lexington SC barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the South Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that focuses on 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 desire is to open a barber shop in Lexington SC, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Lexington SC barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that she or he receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with area businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Lexington SC area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, 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 Aid Available? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be provided in Lexington SC.
How to Train in Barbering in Lexington
Enroll in the Best Lexington Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional barber in Lexington South Carolina.