Barbering Colleges
How to Find the Right One Near Wellesley Massachusetts

Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Wellesley MA, the task begins to search for and select the best one. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused 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. You will want to find a campus that is within reasonable commuting distance of your residence unless you plan to relocate for training. Another qualification when evaluating prospective barbering schools is the price of tuition. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little 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 Wellesley 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

Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Wellesley MA home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Wellesley MA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Wellesley MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone 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 thought of. Finally, check with 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 expansive 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal 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 desire is to start a barber shop in Wellesley MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Wellesley MA barber college provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with area employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Wellesley MA area shops and organizations 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be provided in Wellesley MA.

Get More Info on Learning to Become a Barber in Wellesley

Enroll in the Best Wellesley Barber College

Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional barber in Wellesley Massachusetts.

 

Wellesley Barbering Courses | Wellesley Schools For Barbering