How to Select the Best Barber Academy Near Yakima Washington
Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Yakima WA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It's essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might 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 essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Yakima home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing 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 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 Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Yakima WA home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Yakima WA for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any barber college 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 testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Yakima WA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 dream is to launch a barber shop in Yakima WA, then you want 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? Studying and refining barbering skills and techniques involves lots 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 make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Yakima WA barber college provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with area businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Yakima WA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered in Yakima WA.
How to Choose a Barber College in Yakima
Enroll in the Right Yakima Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided 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 test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional barber in Yakima Washington.