It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Barbering Career Below
What to Ask Barber Colleges
Following is a list of questions that you should research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Menlo Park CA home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable 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 Menlo Park CA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively 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 excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Menlo Park CA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on 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 dream is to start a barber shop in Menlo Park CA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Menlo Park CA barber school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he gets support in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Menlo Park CA area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might 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 expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available in Menlo Park CA.