How to Find the Right Barbering College Near Smyrna Tennessee
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Smyrna TN, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's important that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial 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 relate to the same kind of school. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Smyrna home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when assessing possible barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the best option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering later within 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 Barber Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Smyrna TN residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together 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 school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Smyrna TN for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several 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 might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Smyrna TN barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Tennessee 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? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a barber shop in Smyrna TN, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Smyrna TN barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with local businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Smyrna TN area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial help may be available in Smyrna TN.
How to Become a Barber in Smyrna
Enroll in the Right Smyrna Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional barber in Smyrna Tennessee.