How to Find the Right Barbering Academy Near Charlottesville Virginia

Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Charlottesville VA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Charlottesville home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about 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 Choose Barbering?

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 Training Programs

Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Charlottesville VA residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Charlottesville VA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Charlottesville VA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a barber shop in Charlottesville VA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty 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 allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Charlottesville VA barber college offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Charlottesville VA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available in Charlottesville VA.

How to Train in Barbering in Charlottesville

Choose in the Best Charlottesville Barber College

Locating and enrolling in the right barber college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Charlottesville Virginia.

Charlottesville Barbering Training | Charlottesville College Of Barbering