Barbering Colleges
How to Choose the Right One Near Seekonk Massachusetts
Now that you have made the decision to become a barber, you must find the right barber school near Seekonk MA to get your training. It's imperative that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled 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 refer to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing prospective barber schools. However, a school is not always the best choice simply because it has the lowest tuition or is located closest to your home. Accreditation and reputation, as examples are among the other qualifications that you need to evaluate 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 little 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 Seekonk 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 Barbering Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Seekonk MA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber college 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Seekonk MA employers 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? Each barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Seekonk MA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, 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. Finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a barber shop in Seekonk MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Seekonk MA barber school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore 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 school, it's crucial that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with area employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Seekonk MA area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive 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 reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify 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 meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial help may be offered in Seekonk MA.
Find Out More on Becoming a Barber in Seekonk
Choose the Best Seekonk Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional barber in Seekonk Massachusetts.