Find Top Barber Schools near Athens IL 62613

How to Select a Barber School near Athens Illinois

Athens IL barber blow drying hair Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Athens IL, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Athens residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating potential barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Athens IL barber razor cutting hair Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a barber and a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Athens IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Online Barber Schools

Online barber colleges are convenient for students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based barbering programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop 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 considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your Athens IL home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby Athens IL shops or salons in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online barber program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Barbering Colleges

Athens IL barber trimming beard Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Athens IL home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want 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 additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together some of those additional 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 training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in Athens IL for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting 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 Athens IL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose 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 desire is to start a barber shop in Athens IL, 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 poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Athens IL barber school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it’s essential that he or she receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with area employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Athens IL area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available in Athens IL.

Considering Barber School near Athens IL?

Athens, Illinois

Athens /ˈeɪθənz/ AY-thənz is a city in Menard County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,726 at the 2000 census, and 1,778 at a 2009 estimate. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,726 people, 695 households, and 462 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,175.4 people per square mile (453.3/km²). There were 740 housing units at an average density of 504.0 per square mile (194.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.26% White, 0.41% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.46% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.

There were 695 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city, the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.

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Pick the Right Barber School near Athens IL

Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect 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 contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution 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 supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Athens IL.