Barbering Training Courses
How to Select the Right One Near North Andover Massachusetts

Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near North Andover MA, the task begins to locate and select the best one. Since barbers are licensed in all 50 states, the college you choose should prepare you to pass the licensing exam and provide the necessary training for your specialty. You might be somewhat puzzled when starting your search for barbering programs as to the difference between beauty and cosmetology schools, which both provide barber training. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. You will want to find a school that is within reasonable driving distance of your home unless you plan to relocate for training. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing potential 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. Accreditation and reputation, as examples are two of the other qualifications that you need to evaluate when weighing your school options. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering 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 North Andover 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

Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your North Andover MA home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber training program you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of North Andover MA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with North Andover MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a barber shop in North Andover MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a North Andover MA barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with area businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which North Andover MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered in North Andover MA.

Get More Info on Training to Become a Barber in North Andover

Choose the Right North Andover Barber School

Selecting and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to receive 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 organize 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 contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in North Andover Massachusetts.

 

North Andover Barber Colleges | North Andover Barbering School