How to Select the Best Barber Training Program Near Germantown Tennessee

Since you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Germantown TN, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat 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 kind of school. We'll speak a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Germantown home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing 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 discuss 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.

Questions to Ask Barber Colleges

Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Germantown TN residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber college you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Germantown TN for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably 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 outstanding 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 referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Germantown TN barber shop owners or managers, or anyone 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 looked into. Finally, consult the Tennessee school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a barber shop in Germantown TN, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Germantown TN barber college offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with local businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Germantown TN area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be offered in Germantown TN.

How to Choose a Barber College in Germantown

Enroll in the Best Germantown Barber School

Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional barber in Germantown Tennessee.

Germantown Barbering Colleges | Germantown Schools For Barbering