How to Choose a Barber College near Lowell Arkansas
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Lowell AR, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lowell home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a barber and a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lowell AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide range of specialties including:
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Barber Schools Online
Online barber schools are accommodating for students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based barbering programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional barber programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your Lowell AR home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby Lowell AR shops or salons in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online barber school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lowell AR home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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 training program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It’s essential 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Lowell AR for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lowell AR barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Arkansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select 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 launch a barber shop in Lowell AR, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Lowell AR barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber school, it’s important that he or she gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with area businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Lowell AR area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 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 meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial help may be offered in Lowell AR.
Considering Barber School near Lowell AR?
Lowell, Arkansas
Lowell is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, in the United States. Located within the Ozarks, first settlement was along Old Wire Road in the 1840s, and although destroyed during the Civil War, the community was reestablished by J. H. McClure and thrived when the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway came through the area in the 1880s. Today, the city is a growing bedroom community within the rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas region. Lowell is also home to the headquarters of trucking company J.B. Hunt. Lowell's population was 7,327 at the 2010 census, an increase of 46% since 2000.[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, Lowell has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.9 km2), of which 9.2 square miles (23.7 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.68%, is water.[3] Lowell is located in southern Benton County at 36°15′38″N 94°8′22″W / 36.26056°N 94.13944°W / 36.26056; -94.13944 (36.260429, -94.139570).[6] It is bordered by the cities of Springdale and Bethel Heights to the south, Cave Springs to the west and Rogers to the north. 4 miles (6 km) to the east is Beaver Lake, a large reservoir of the White River.
The Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Area consists of three Arkansas counties: Benton, Madison, and Washington, and McDonald County, Missouri. The area had a population of 347,045 at the 2000 census which had increased to 463,204 by the 2010 Census (an increase of 33.47 per cent). The area does not consist of the usual principal-city-with-suburbs morphology; instead the four principal cities are all located along Interstate 49 in a linear configuration. Lowell is also located along this corridor, between Springdale and Rogers.
As of the 2010 census Lowell had a population of 7,327. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 68.7% non-Hispanic white, 0.9% black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 2.6% from two or more races and 24.7% Hispanic or Latino.[8]
Choose the Right Barber School near Lowell AR
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in Lowell AR.
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