Barbering Courses
How to Pick the Right One Near South Boston Massachusetts

Now that you have made the decision to begin your career in barbering, you must enroll in the right barber school near South Boston MA to receive your training. Because barbers are required to be licensed in all 50 states, the school you select should prep you to pass the licensing exam and provide the necessary training for your specialty. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Since the names are for all practical purposes interchangeable and pertain to the same kind of school, you shouldn’t be. You will need to find a school that is within reasonable commuting distance of your residence unless you can relocate for training. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal choice. 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 concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a 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 South Boston 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 Barber Colleges

Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your South Boston MA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber school you select 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many South Boston MA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with South Boston MA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 important that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 start a barber shop in South Boston 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 Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a South Boston MA barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which South Boston 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 wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered in South Boston MA.

Find Out More on How to Become a Barber in South Boston

Choose the Best South Boston Barber College

Selecting and enrolling in the right barber school is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional barber in South Boston Massachusetts.

 

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