Barbering Schools
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Lexington Massachusetts
Now that you have decided to become a barber, you must find the best barber school near Lexington MA to receive your training. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. You might be a little confused when starting your search for barbering programs as to the difference between cosmetology and beauty schools, since both provide barber training. Because the names are for all practical purposes interchangeable and relate to the same kind of school, there is no need to be. You will need to find a campus that is within reasonable commuting distance of your residence unless you plan to relocate for training. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing possible barber schools. However, a school is not always the right option just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss 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 Lexington 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 Colleges
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lexington MA home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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 concluding benefit, many Lexington MA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lexington MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. 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 beauty 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 example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 launch a barber shop in Lexington MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check 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 allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Lexington MA barber college provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with local employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Lexington MA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available in Lexington MA.
Get More Info on Training to Become a Barber in Lexington
Choose the Best Lexington Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the responses 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 good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once 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 Lexington Massachusetts.