What to Ask Barbering Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Grand Prairie TX residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in Grand Prairie TX for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Grand Prairie TX barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Texas 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? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as 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 focuses on 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 aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Grand Prairie TX, 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 poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Grand Prairie TX barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that he or she receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with local employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Grand Prairie TX area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm 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. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be provided in Grand Prairie TX.