Barbering Colleges
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Little Rock Arkansas
Now that you have made the decision to begin your career in barbering, you must find the right barber school near Little Rock AR to receive your training. Since barbers are required to be licensed in all 50 states, the school you choose should prepare you to pass the licensing exam and provide the proper training for your specialty. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Since the names are in effect interchangeable and pertain to the same type of school, you shouldn’t be. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your home. Another qualification when evaluating possible barber schools is the cost of tuition. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. Reputation and accreditation, for example are among the other qualifications that you need to evaluate when weighing your school options. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about barbering as a career.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Barbering Career Below
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 Little Rock 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 Schools
Following 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 in relation to your Little Rock AR home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary 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 options 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 collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber college 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Little Rock AR employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. 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, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Little Rock AR barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Arkansas school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Little Rock AR, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Little Rock AR barber school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with area businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which Little Rock AR area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available in Little Rock AR.
Learn More on Training to Become a Barber in Little Rock
Choose the Best Little Rock Barber School
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Little Rock Arkansas.
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