Barbering Colleges
How to Find the Best One Near Fayetteville Arkansas

Now that you have made the decision to become a barber, you must enroll in the best barber school near Fayetteville AR to receive your training. It's imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. You may be somewhat puzzled when beginning your search for barbering programs as to the difference between cosmetology and beauty schools, which both offer barber training. Because the names are for all practical purposes interchangeable and relate to the same kind of school, there is no need to be. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating potential barber schools. However, a school is not always the right option just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at later within 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 Fayetteville 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 Barbering Schools

Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Fayetteville AR home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber College 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 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 may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Fayetteville AR businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Fayetteville AR barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, 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. And finally, consult the Arkansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a barber shop in Fayetteville AR, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Fayetteville AR barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that he or she gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with area employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Fayetteville AR area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be provided in Fayetteville AR.

Find Out More on How to Become a Barber in Fayetteville

Enroll in the Right Fayetteville Barber School

Selecting and enrolling in the right barber training program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional barber in Fayetteville Arkansas.

 

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