How to Choose the Right Barbering College Near Newport News Virginia
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Newport News VA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the school you select not only furnishes 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 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 names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Newport News home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at 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 Choose Barbering?
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.
What to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Newport News VA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Newport News VA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Newport News VA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed 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, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a barber shop in Newport News VA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Newport News VA barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Newport News VA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered in Newport News VA.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Newport News
Enroll in the Best Newport News Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional barber in Newport News Virginia.
Newport News Schools For Barbering | Newport News Barber Schools