Barbering Training
How to Pick the Right One Near Jamaica Plain Massachusetts

Now that you have made the decision to become a barber, you must find the best barber school near Jamaica Plain MA to get your training. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing prospective barber schools. But keep in mind, a school is not always the best choice simply because it has the lowest tuition or is located closest to your home. Accreditation and reputation, for example are two of the other qualifications that you need to look into when weighing your school options. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about barbering as a career.

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

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 Jamaica Plain 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 Barber Schools

Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Jamaica Plain MA residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber school you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often 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, many Jamaica Plain MA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Jamaica Plain MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 intention is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a barber shop in Jamaica Plain MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. 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 developing skills on volunteers. If a Jamaica Plain MA barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that she or he gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with local employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Jamaica Plain MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available in Jamaica Plain MA.

Learn More on Training to Become a Barber in Jamaica Plain

Enroll in the Best Jamaica Plain Barber College

Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional barber in Jamaica Plain Massachusetts.

 

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