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Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Swansea MA home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber college you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Swansea 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 Great Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating 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 businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Swansea MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand 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 intention 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 aspiration is to open a barber shop in Swansea MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing 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 courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Swansea MA barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Swansea MA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most barber schools provide 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 learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial help may be provided in Swansea MA.