How to Enroll In the Best Barber Course Near Oakton Virginia
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Oakton VA, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear 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 refer to the same type of school. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oakton residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering later in 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?
Barbershops have always been a place for men to get their hair cut, socialize, and gab about everything from sports to stock tips. Although today some women visit barbershops and some men visit stylists and salons, the barbershop and its iconic red, white, and blue striped pole is still a cornerstone of male culture. If you’ve got an eye for style, a creative flair, and an appreciation for America’s unique barbershop culture, a career as a barber could be your calling. As a barber, you’ll cut, style, shape, and treat men’s hair, and sometimes women’s and children’s hair, too. You’ll give shaves and trim facial hair and sometimes perform neck and scalp massages. Like all specialists in the field of cosmetology, you’ll make a ritual out of maintaining your tools, station, and clients to the highest standards of hygiene and sanitization.
What to Ask Barber Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Oakton VA home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber school 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Oakton VA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Oakton 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 considered. Finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a barber shop in Oakton VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses 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 Oakton VA barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that he or she receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance 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 find out which Oakton VA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be available in Oakton VA.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Oakton
Enroll in the Best Oakton Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Oakton Virginia.