Barbering Classes
How to Select the Best One Near Bedford Massachusetts
Now that you have decided to become a barber, you must enroll in the best barber college near Bedford MA to get your training. It's essential that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your home. Another consideration when evaluating possible barbering schools is the price of tuition. However, a school is not always the best choice just 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 comparing schools. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk 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 Bedford 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.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bedford MA home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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 Bedford MA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Bedford MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Massachusetts 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 Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 vision is to open a barber shop in Bedford MA, 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 poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Bedford MA barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with local businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Bedford MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available in Bedford MA.
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Choose the Right Bedford Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, 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 right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in Bedford Massachusetts.