Barbering Colleges
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Andover Massachusetts
Now that you have decided to become a barber, you must enroll in the right barber school near Andover MA to get your training. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Since the names are in effect interchangeable and relate to the same kind of school, you shouldn’t be. We'll discuss a bit more regarding that in the next section. You will need to find a campus that is within reasonable commuting distance of your home unless you plan to relocate for training. Another consideration when examining prospective barbering schools is the price of tuition. However, a school is not always the best choice just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. 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 what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
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Barbering and Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person's skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a barber, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Andover MA barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many barbers, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client's house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in every state working barbers have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption for cosmetologists in general. Only those offering more skilled services, such as barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Andover MA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber school you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Andover MA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Andover MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a barber shop in Andover MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Andover MA barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for 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 she or he receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with area businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Andover MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? 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. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available in Andover MA.
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Enroll in the Right Andover Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the right barber training program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Andover Massachusetts.