How to Choose the Best Barber Classes Near Orem Utah
Since you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Orem UT, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps 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 refer to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a little 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 Orem residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right option. There are several 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 talk 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 Barbering Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Orem UT home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber college you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in Orem UT for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Orem UT barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, 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 looked into. And last, check with the Utah school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a barber shop in Orem UT, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses 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 Orem UT barber college offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with local employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Orem UT area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive 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 investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 offered to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial help may be available in Orem UT.
How to Become a Barber in Orem
Enroll in the Right Orem Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Orem Utah.