Barbering Schools
How to Pick the Best One Near El Dorado Arkansas

Now that you have made the decision to become a barber, you must find the right barber college near El Dorado AR to get your training. Since barbers are required to be licensed in all 50 states, the college you select should prepare you to pass the licensing exam as well as provide the proper training for your specialty. You may be somewhat puzzled when beginning your search for barbering programs as to the difference between beauty and cosmetology schools, since both offer barber training. Since the names are in effect interchangeable and relate to the same type of school, there is no need to be. You will need to find a school that is within reasonable commuting distance of your residence unless you plan to relocate for training. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing possible barber schools. However, a school is not always the best option simply because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about barbering as a career.

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Why Become a Barber?

Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities.  As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any El Dorado AR barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable.  The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients.  And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair.  This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.

Questions to Ask Barber Colleges

Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your El Dorado AR home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many El Dorado AR employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with El Dorado AR barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Arkansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective 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 El Dorado AR, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting 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 site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a El Dorado AR barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with local employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which El Dorado AR area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be offered in El Dorado AR.

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Choose the Right El Dorado Barber College

Picking 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 in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in El Dorado Arkansas.

 

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