Barbering Colleges
How to Choose the Right One Near Garden City Kansas

Now that you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Garden City KS, the task starts to search for and choose the best one. Since barbers are licensed in all states, the school you select should prepare you to pass the licensing test as well as provide the necessary training for your specialty. You may be a little puzzled when beginning your search for barbering programs as to the difference between cosmetology and beauty schools, since both offer barber training. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. You will need to find a campus that is within reasonable commuting distance of your home unless you plan to relocate for training. Another qualification when examining possible barbering schools is the cost of tuition. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal option. Reputation and accreditation, as examples are two of the other qualifications that you need to evaluate when weighing your school options. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little 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 Garden City KS 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 need to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Garden City KS home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Garden City KS businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Garden City KS barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Kansas 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 Focus?  A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden 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 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 start a barber shop in Garden City KS, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Garden City KS barber college provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that he or she gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with local employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Garden City KS area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided in Garden City KS.

Find Out More on Learning to Become a Barber in Garden City

Enroll in the Right Garden City Barber School

Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber school is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional barber in Garden City Kansas.

 

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