How to Select the Best Barbering Training Near Oakton Virginia
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Oakton VA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll speak a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Oakton home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at 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 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.
Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Oakton VA residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 securing 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 many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Oakton VA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on 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 desire is to start a barber shop in Oakton VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Oakton VA barber college provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Oakton VA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be provided in Oakton VA.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Oakton
Enroll in the Best Oakton Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile 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 contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Oakton Virginia.