Barbering Schools
How to Pick the Right One Near Chelmsford Massachusetts

Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Chelmsford MA, the process starts to find and select the best one. It's essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial 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 titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We'll talk a bit more about that in the next section. You will want to find a school that is within reasonable commuting distance of your residence unless you are willing to relocate for training. An additional consideration when evaluating possible barbering schools is the price of tuition. However, a school is not always the right option 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 reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

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Barbering is a Specialty of Cosmetology

Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person's skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a barber, almost all states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Chelmsford MA barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many barbers, once they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client's house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians

As previously stated, in all states practicing barbers must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception for cosmetologists in general. Only those offering more skilled services, such as barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Questions to Ask Barber Colleges

Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Chelmsford MA home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Chelmsford 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?  Any barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Chelmsford MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 intention is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a barber shop in Chelmsford MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Chelmsford MA barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that he or she receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with local employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Chelmsford MA area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Almost all 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. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available in Chelmsford MA.

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Choose the Best Chelmsford Barber College

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer 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. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional barber in Chelmsford Massachusetts.

 

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