Barbering Schools
How to Pick the Best One Near Plymouth Massachusetts
Now that you have made the decision to become a barber, you must enroll in the best barber school near Plymouth MA to receive your training. It's important that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. You will want to find a school that is within reasonable commuting distance of your home unless you are willing to relocate for training. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing possible barber schools. However, a school is not always the right choice just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. Reputation and accreditation, for example are among the other qualifications that you should look into when comparing schools. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about barbering as a career.
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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 Plymouth 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 Colleges
Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Plymouth MA home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Plymouth MA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Plymouth MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult 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? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a barber shop in Plymouth MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Plymouth MA barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that she or he gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with area employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Plymouth MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask 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 Aid Offered? 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. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial help may be provided in Plymouth MA.
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Choose the Best Plymouth Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Plymouth Massachusetts.