How to Choose the Right Barbering College Near Cave Spring Virginia
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Cave Spring VA, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin 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 discuss a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Cave Spring home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about 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?
Barbering is an art form, according to many, so it’s no surprise that individuals interested in becoming a barber must become authorities before they can command a barber’s chair. And one of the best and most effective ways to do so is through a comprehensive educational program. Since the early 1880s, barbering has been a tradition among men. Visiting the barber shop was often a weekly occasion, where a shave and a cut, and a little socialization among friends, were as popular as a trip to the local saloon. The barber experience still lives on, and many say it is even making a comeback as men realize the value of a great cut and a close shave. Today’s barbers must be able to deliver the highest quality services to their clients, services that cannot be found at a local mall hair salon or a unisex discount salon. Therefore, a solid education, complete with plenty of hands-on training, is a must. It is also a must for licensure, a requirement in every state. Although some states do recognize an apprenticeship as a route to licensure, all states recognize an accredited program.
Questions to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Cave Spring VA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Cave Spring VA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some 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 positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Cave Spring VA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick 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 aspiration is to open a barber shop in Cave Spring VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Cave Spring VA barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide 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 gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with area businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Cave Spring VA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance 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 office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be available in Cave Spring VA.
How to Train in Barbering in Cave Spring
Choose in the Right Cave Spring Barber College
Finding and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in Cave Spring Virginia.