How to Enroll In the Best Barber Academy Near Bellingham Washington
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Bellingham WA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bellingham residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when evaluating potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing 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 talk a 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.
Questions to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Bellingham WA home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Bellingham WA for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Bellingham WA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Bellingham WA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Bellingham WA barber school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with area businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Bellingham WA area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be offered in Bellingham WA.
How to Choose a Barber College in Bellingham
Choose in the Best Bellingham Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional barber in Bellingham Washington.