How to Choose the Best Barber Academy Near Blacksburg Virginia

Now that you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Blacksburg VA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled 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 kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Blacksburg residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating possible barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing 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 talk a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.

Why Become a Barber?

Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities.  As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any local barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable.  The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients.  And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair.  This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.

What to Ask Barbering Schools

Below is a series of questions that you should research for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Blacksburg VA residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Blacksburg VA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous 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?  Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Blacksburg VA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a barber shop in Blacksburg VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and refining barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Blacksburg VA barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate 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 crucial that he or she gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Blacksburg VA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available in Blacksburg VA.

How to Choose a Barber School in Blacksburg

Enroll in the Best Blacksburg Barber School

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, 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 right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional barber in Blacksburg Virginia.

Blacksburg Barber Colleges | Blacksburg How To Become A Barber