How to Select the Best Barbering College Near Wausau Wisconsin
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Wausau WI, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused 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 speak a little bit more concerning that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Wausau home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering 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.
Questions to Ask Barbering Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Wausau WI residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary 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 additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Wausau WI for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Wausau WI barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Wisconsin 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? A number of 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, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a barber shop in Wausau WI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Wausau WI barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that she or he receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with local employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Wausau WI area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected 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 looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available in Wausau WI.
How to Choose a Barber College in Wausau
Enroll in the Right Wausau Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Wausau Wisconsin.