Barbering Colleges
How to Find the Best One Near Pittsfield Massachusetts
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Pittsfield MA, the task begins to find and select the ideal one. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. You might be a little puzzled when starting your search for barbering programs as to the difference between beauty and cosmetology schools, since both provide barber training. Since the names are for all practical purposes interchangeable and pertain to the same type 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 are willing to relocate for training. An additional consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools is the cost of tuition. But keep in mind, a school is not always the best choice just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. Accreditation and reputation, for example are two of the other qualifications that you need to evaluate when weighing your school options. Now we will examine what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering.
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Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Pittsfield MA home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically 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 concluding benefit, many Pittsfield MA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Pittsfield MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a barber shop in Pittsfield MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Pittsfield MA barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Pittsfield MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out 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 Offered? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be available in Pittsfield MA.
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Choose the Best Pittsfield Barber College
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional barber in Pittsfield Massachusetts.