Barbering Schools
How to Find the Best One Near Olathe Kansas
Now that you have made the decision to become a barber, you must find the best barber college near Olathe KS to receive your training. It's important that the program you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. However, a school is not always the best option just because it has the lowest tuition or is located closest to your home. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little 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 Olathe 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 Barbering Schools
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Olathe KS residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber school 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Olathe KS businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Olathe KS barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, 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, check with the Kansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential 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 aspiration is to open a barber shop in Olathe KS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Olathe KS barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Olathe KS area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available in Olathe KS.
Get More Info on Becoming a Barber in Olathe
Enroll in the Right Olathe Barber College
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in Olathe Kansas.