How to Choose the Best Barbering Training Program Near De Pere Wisconsin
Now that you have decided to attend a barber school near De Pere WI, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction 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 refer to the same type of school. We'll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your De Pere home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a 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.
Questions to Ask Barber Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your De Pere WI home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below 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 necessary to make sure that the barber school you choose 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in De Pere WI for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous employers 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 outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with De Pere WI barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Wisconsin school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as 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 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 dream is to start a barber shop in De Pere WI, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 De Pere WI barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with local employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which De Pere WI area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available in De Pere WI.
How to Choose a Barber School in De Pere
Enroll in the Right De Pere Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive 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 information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down 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 new career as a professional barber in De Pere Wisconsin.