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Questions to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your San Tan Valley AZ home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous San Tan Valley AZ businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with San Tan Valley AZ barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Arizona school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a barber shop in San Tan Valley AZ, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting 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 involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a San Tan Valley AZ barber school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with local businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which San Tan Valley AZ area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available in San Tan Valley AZ.