How to Pick the Best Barber School Near Harrisonburg Virginia

Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Harrisonburg VA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll discuss a bit more about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Harrisonburg home. Tuition will likewise be a critical 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 best option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.

Why Become a Barber?

A barber is a professional who cuts, trims, and styles hair for primarily male clients, though many women with shorter hairstyles opt to go to these professionals too. Most barbers also provide facial hair maintenance, custom shaves and other men's grooming services. The goal of a barber is to make each client feel comfortable and at ease while their hair is being cut or styled. The barber also seeks to ensure that the client is happy with his or her hairstyle, length and color or his new facial hair style. They usually use tools such as scissors, clippers, razors, and combs Barbers may also provide other services such as applying lotions, shampooing, styling, coloring hair, and singeing. In addition, a barber may perform massage services for the scalp, neck, and face. Finally, barbers will typically bill the client, accept payment and tips and finalize the sale. They may also sell the client products such as shampoo, lotions, or tonics that will meet their styling, grooming and maintenance needs between appointments. They will clean their work area and tools according to the state's safety and sanitation requirements after each appointment.

Questions to Ask Barbering Training Programs

Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Harrisonburg VA residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber school 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 comply with 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 offered in Harrisonburg VA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement 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 might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Harrisonburg VA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a barber shop in Harrisonburg VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Harrisonburg VA barber college furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Harrisonburg VA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial help may be provided in Harrisonburg VA.

How to Train in Barbering in Harrisonburg

Choose in the Right Harrisonburg Barber School

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in Harrisonburg Virginia.

Harrisonburg Barber Colleges | Harrisonburg How To Become A Barber