How to Pick a Barber School near Downers Grove Illinois
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Downers Grove IL, 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 prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction 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 refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Downers Grove home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course 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 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 require that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Downers Grove IL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional 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 stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Barber Schools Online
Online barber colleges are convenient for students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based barbering programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional barber programs are typically fast paced since 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 programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your Downers Grove IL home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby Downers Grove IL shops or salons so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online barber school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Barber Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Downers Grove IL residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. 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 important 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Downers Grove IL for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively 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 exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Downers Grove IL barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a barber shop in Downers Grove IL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Downers Grove IL barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it’s crucial that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with local businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which Downers Grove IL area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available in Downers Grove IL.
Considering Barber School near Downers Grove IL?
Downers Grove, Illinois
Downers Grove is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1832 by Pierce Downer, whose surname serves as the eponym for the village. It is a south-western suburb of Chicago in the I-55 Corridor.
Downers Grove was founded in 1832 by Pierce Downer,[6] a farmer who traveled to Illinois from Rutland, New York, but was originally from Vermont.[7] Its other early settlers included the Blodgett, Curtiss, Blanchard, Stanley, Lyman, and Carpenter families. The original settlers were mostly migrants from the Northeastern United States and Northern Europe. The first schoolhouse was built in 1844.
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was extended from Aurora to Chicago through Downers Grove in 1864, boosting its population. The town was incorporated in March 1873. Its somewhat unusual spelling ("Apostrophe-free since 1873") remains a minor historical mystery.
In April 1947 the wreck of a Burlington Railroad Twin Cities Zephyr passenger train killed three people, including the engineer. The streamliner struck a large tractor which had fallen from a freight train and two passenger cars crashed through a wall of the Main Street Station.
Find the Right Barber School near Downers Grove IL
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, 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 examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional barber in Downers Grove IL.
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