Barbering Colleges
How to Select the Best One Near Andover Massachusetts

Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Andover MA, the task starts to locate and choose the best one. Since barbers are licensed in all 50 states, the college you select should prep you to pass the licensing test as well as provide the necessary training for your specialty. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit 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 pertain to the same kind of school. You will want to find a campus that is within reasonable driving distance of your home unless you plan to relocate for training. Another consideration when evaluating possible barber schools is the price of tuition. However, a school is not always the right choice simply because it has the lowest tuition or is located closest to your home. Reputation and accreditation, for example are among the other qualifications that you need to look into when weighing your school options. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about barbering as a career.

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Why Choose Barbering?

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 Andover MA 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 Colleges

Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Andover MA home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered 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 Andover MA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Every barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Andover MA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a barber shop in Andover MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. 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 developing talents on volunteers. If a Andover MA barber college offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that she or he receives help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with local employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Andover MA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial help may be offered in Andover MA.

Learn More on Becoming a Barber in Andover

Choose the Best Andover Barber School

Picking and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional barber in Andover Massachusetts.

 

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