Barbering Colleges
How to Choose the Best One Near Holliston Massachusetts
Now that you have made the decision to begin your career in barbering, you must enroll in the best barber college near Holliston MA to get your training. Because barbers are required to be licensed in all states, the school you select should prep you to pass the licensing exam as well as provide the proper training for your specialty. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the following segment. You will want to find a school that is within reasonable driving distance of your home unless you plan to relocate for training. An additional consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools is the price of tuition. However, a school is not always the right option simply 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 should look into when weighing your school options. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding 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 types of courses are available.
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Barbering is a Specialty of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person's skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a barber, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Holliston MA barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many barbers, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client's home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in every state practicing barbers must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception for cosmetologists in general. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Questions to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Holliston MA residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Holliston MA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals 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 a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Holliston MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a barber shop in Holliston MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask 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 growing talents on volunteers. If a Holliston MA barber college provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with local businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Holliston 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 broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available in Holliston MA.
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Choose the Best Holliston Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start 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 ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Holliston Massachusetts.