Barbering Colleges
How to Find the Best One Near Winthrop Massachusetts

Now that you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Winthrop MA, the process starts to search for and choose the best one. Because barbers are licensed in all states, the school you choose should prep you to pass the licensing test and provide the necessary training for your specialty. You might be a little confused when starting your search for barbering classes as to the difference between cosmetology and beauty schools, since both offer barber training. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate 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 best choice just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning 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.

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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 Winthrop 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

Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Winthrop MA home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Winthrop MA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals 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 industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Winthrop MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a barber shop in Winthrop MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Winthrop MA barber school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Winthrop MA area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to 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 option until you find out what financial assistance may be available in Winthrop MA.

Find Out More on Becoming a Barber in Winthrop

Choose the Right Winthrop Barber College

Picking and enrolling in the right barber training program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in Winthrop Massachusetts.

 

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