How to Select the Right Barber College Near Parkersburg West Virginia

Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Parkersburg WV, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It's essential that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may 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 names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We'll speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Parkersburg home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as 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 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.

Questions to Ask Barber Schools

Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Parkersburg WV home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Parkersburg WV 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 recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any barber school that you are seriously considering 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, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Parkersburg WV barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention 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 open a barber shop in Parkersburg WV, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Parkersburg WV barber college offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with area businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Parkersburg WV area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered in Parkersburg WV.

How to Choose a Barber College in Parkersburg

Choose in the Best Parkersburg Barber College

Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional barber in Parkersburg West Virginia.

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