Barbering Courses
How to Choose the Right One Near Lawrence Massachusetts
Now that you have decided to begin your career in barbering, you must enroll in the best barber school near Lawrence MA to receive your training. It's important that the program you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. You will need to find a school that is within reasonable commuting distance of your residence unless you can relocate for training. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal choice. Reputation and accreditation, as examples are two of the other qualifications that you should look into when comparing schools. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a 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 Lawrence 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 Barber Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lawrence MA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices 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 collected several of those additional 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 training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lawrence MA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional 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, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lawrence MA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that specializes in 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 dream is to launch a barber shop in Lawrence MA, then you want 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 require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Lawrence MA barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that he or she gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with local employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Lawrence MA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of 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 learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be offered in Lawrence MA.
Find Out More on Training to Become a Barber in Lawrence
Choose the Best Lawrence Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive 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 certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional barber in Lawrence Massachusetts.