How to Choose the Right Barbering Academy Near Portsmouth Virginia
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Portsmouth VA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It's important that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll discuss a bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Portsmouth home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing prospective 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 various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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 Become a Barber?
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 Barbering Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Portsmouth VA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Portsmouth 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, a number of businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Portsmouth VA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in 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 vision is to start a barber shop in Portsmouth VA, then you need 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 require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Portsmouth VA barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that he or she receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with area businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Portsmouth VA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be available in Portsmouth VA.
How to Train in Barbering in Portsmouth
Enroll in the Right Portsmouth Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college 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 filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional barber in Portsmouth Virginia.