Barbering Schools
How to Choose the Best One Near Waltham Massachusetts
Now that you have decided to become a barber, you must enroll in the right barber school near Waltham MA to receive your training. It's important that the program you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Since the names are for all practical purposes interchangeable and relate to the same type of school, you shouldn’t be. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing potential barber schools. However, a school is not always the right option just because it has the lowest tuition or is located closest to your home. Reputation and accreditation, for example are two of the other qualifications that you should look into when weighing your school options. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about barbering as a career.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Barbering Career Below
Why Choose Barbering?
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 Waltham 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 contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Waltham MA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered 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 Waltham MA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Waltham MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative 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 desire is to start a barber shop in Waltham 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 need.
Is Plenty of 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 furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Waltham MA barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which Waltham MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be provided in Waltham MA.
Learn More on Training to Become a Barber in Waltham
Enroll in the Best Waltham Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the right barber training program is essential 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. Make certain to collect 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 sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional barber in Waltham Massachusetts.