How to Choose a Barber School near Lakewood California
Once you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Lakewood CA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lakewood residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a barber and a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lakewood CA 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, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must 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. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Online Barber Colleges
Online barber colleges are accommodating for students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online barbering programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional barber schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your Lakewood CA home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local Lakewood CA shops or salons to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online barber program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lakewood CA home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the barber school you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Lakewood CA for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lakewood CA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a barber shop in Lakewood CA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Lakewood CA barber college provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber college, it’s essential that she or he receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with area employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Lakewood CA area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available in Lakewood CA.
Considering Barber School near Lakewood CA?
Lakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares include Lakewood (SR 19), Bellflower, and Del Amo Boulevards and Carson and South Streets. The San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) runs through the city's eastern regions.
Lakewood is a planned, post-World War II community.[9] Developers Louis Boyar, Mark Taper and Ben Weingart are credited with "altering forever the map of Southern California."[9] Begun in late 1949, the completion of the developers' plan in 1953 helped in the transformation of mass-produced housing from its early phases in the 1930s and 1940s to the reality of the 1950s.[9]
WWII veterans could get home loans with no down payment and a 30-year mortgage at only 4 percent interest. On the first day of sales, on March 24, 1950, an estimated 30,000 people lined up to walk through a row of seven model houses. By the end of April, more than 200,000 people had flocked to the Lakewood Park sales office and more than 1,000 families had purchased homes (30 per day on average). Once, 107 homes sold in just one hour. The monthly cost was $44 to $56, including principal, interest and insurance.
The building of Lakewood broke records. Empty fields became 17,500 houses in less than three years. A new house was completed every 7 1/2 minutes, 40 to 60 houses per day, with a record 110 completed in a single day.[10]
Pick the Right Barber School near Lakewood CA
Picking and enrolling in the right barber college is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional barber in Lakewood CA.
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