Barbering Colleges
How to Select the Best One Near Greenfield Massachusetts
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Greenfield MA, the task begins to find and choose the ideal one. Because barbers are required to be licensed in all 50 states, the school you choose should prep you to pass the licensing exam as well as provide the proper training for your specialty. You may be somewhat confused when starting your search for barbering classes as to the difference between cosmetology and beauty schools, since both offer barber training. Because the names are in effect interchangeable and relate to the same kind of school, there is no need to be. 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 evaluating possible barber schools is the price of tuition. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest in cost it's not necessarily the right option. Accreditation and reputation, for example are among the other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools. We will examine what questions you should ask about 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 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 Greenfield 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 Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Greenfield MA home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber school you enroll in 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 comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable 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 Greenfield MA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Greenfield MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 aspiration is to start a barber shop in Greenfield MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Greenfield MA barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with area businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Greenfield MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide 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. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available in Greenfield MA.
Find Out More on Learning to Become a Barber in Greenfield
Choose the Best Greenfield Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional barber in Greenfield Massachusetts.