Find Top Barber Schools near Ocilla GA 31774

How to Choose a Barber College near Ocilla Georgia

Ocilla GA barber blow drying hair Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Ocilla GA, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may 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 pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Ocilla home. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations 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 within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Ocilla GA barber razor cutting hair Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance 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 kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Ocilla GA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians

As already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Barber Colleges 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 many web-based barbering programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional barber schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your Ocilla GA home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby Ocilla GA shops or salons to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online barber program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Barbering Schools

Ocilla GA barber trimming beard 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 relative to your Ocilla GA residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the barber training program you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Ocilla GA for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Ocilla GA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Georgia 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 Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 Ocilla GA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Ocilla GA barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it’s important that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Ocilla GA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, 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 Assistance Available? Almost all barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be provided in Ocilla GA.

Considering Barber School near Ocilla GA?

Ocilla, Georgia

Ocilla was founded in 1880, incorporated as a town in 1897, and finally re-incorporated as a city in 1902. It is not clear whether Ocilla is named for the Seminole Chief Osceola, for an Oswichee Native American tribe, or, as proposed by historian John Goff, it could be an adaptation of the place name Auscilla.[5] A 1981 Fitzgerald Herald-Leader says that "a tribe of Oswichee Indians once lived near the Ocmulgee River on land known in 1818 as Irwin County." There, towns were called Oswitchee and Ocilla, and sometimes Ocichi. The French census shows that a town called Ocichi existed there in 1750. A later census in 1832 gives Oswhichee as the name of another Indian village close to Osochi." It goes on with "The town's name was changed seven times. It was called by the Indians Assile, next Aglie, Axilla, Agulu, Ochile, and lastly Ocilla." This theory is less popular today.

The most popular theory is that Ocilla is named for Chief Osceola, who had a prominent role in the Second Seminole War. Allegedly, he camped in the area known as Western Heights in Ocilla and frequently could be found in the area until his capture and imprisonment at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina. Osceola is probably the reason that the sports teams in Irwin County are now known as the Indians.

In the 1980s and 1990s Marie Watson was known in Ocilla as the "Christmas Lady." Watson would intricately decorate the property around her home on Cherry Street with lights and Christmas decorations and each year "Santa Claus" would visit the property, taking wishes for gifts from children. Watson became famous for her Christmas cheer but eventually stopped due to the hassle of decorating and because of her older age. Today, her tradition is somewhat carried on every year as the City of Ocilla now decorates Cumbee Park, the public park directly in front of Watson's former home, and holds a yearly session with Santa Claus.[6]

On the outskirts of town, Ocilla once hosted the New Veterans Memorial Track (commonly known as the Ocilla Raceway) which was a 3/8 mile layout racing track. It was inaugurated on April 23, 1950. Governor Herman Talmadge was scheduled to attend but was unavailable and the former Governor M.E. Thompson appeared instead. On opening day 2,500 people watched the first program featuring five separate races. James Bennett of Macon, Georgia won the 20-lap featured race and Lucy Stacks of Fitzgerald won the women's race. VFW would eventually take over the track after the original owner, Marion "Buddy" Green, decided that its liabilities were too great.[7]

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Choose the Right Barber School near Ocilla GA

Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident 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 use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional barber in Ocilla GA.