Barbering Schools
How to Pick the Best One Near Chicopee Massachusetts

Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Chicopee MA, the task begins to find and choose the best one. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction 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 a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your home. An additional qualification when examining prospective barbering schools is the price of tuition. But keep in mind, a school is not always the best choice just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. Reputation and accreditation, for example are two of the other qualifications that you need to look into when weighing your school options. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about barbering as a career.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Barbering Career Below

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 Chicopee 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 Barbering Colleges

Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Chicopee MA residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber school you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered 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 Chicopee MA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Chicopee MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a barber shop in Chicopee MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Chicopee MA barber college furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with area employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Chicopee MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be available in Chicopee MA.

Learn More on How to Become a Barber in Chicopee

Choose the Right Chicopee Barber College

Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect 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 compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional barber in Chicopee Massachusetts.

 

Chicopee Barbering Colleges | Chicopee Courses For Barbering