Find Top Barber Schools near Kalamazoo MI 49001

How to Find the Right Barber School near Kalamazoo Michigan

Kalamazoo MI barber blow drying hair Now that you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Kalamazoo MI, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast 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 kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more about 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 Kalamazoo home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing possible barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Kalamazoo MI barber razor cutting hair Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a barber and a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Kalamazoo MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Online Barber Colleges

Online barber colleges are convenient for students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online barbering programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional barber schools are frequently fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your Kalamazoo MI home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby Kalamazoo MI shops or salons to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive 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 choose to enroll in an online barber program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Barber Colleges

Kalamazoo MI barber trimming beard Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Kalamazoo MI residence, together with 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 narrowed 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 school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the barber college you pick 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in Kalamazoo MI for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous businesses 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 considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Kalamazoo MI barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a barber shop in Kalamazoo MI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques 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 make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Kalamazoo MI barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing 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 school, it’s essential that she or he receives help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with local employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Kalamazoo MI area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad 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 reviewing 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 available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be provided in Kalamazoo MI.

Considering Barber School near Kalamazoo MI?

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Kalamazoo /ˌkæləməˈzuː/ is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. As of the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 335,340 as of 2015.[6] Kalamazoo is equidistant from the major American cities of Chicago and Detroit, each less than 150 miles away.

One of Kalamazoo's most notable features is the Kalamazoo Mall, an outdoor pedestrian shopping mall. The city created the mall in 1959 by closing part of Burdick Street to auto traffic, although two of the mall's four blocks have been reopened to auto traffic since 1999.[7][8] Kalamazoo is home to Western Michigan University, a large public university, Kalamazoo College, a private liberal arts college, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College, a two-year community college.

Originally known as Bronson (after founder Titus Bronson) in the township of Arcadia, the names of both the city and the township were changed to "Kalamazoo" in 1836 and 1837, respectively.[9] The Kalamazoo name comes from a Potawatomi word, first found in a British report in 1772. However, the Kalamazoo River, which passes through the modern city of Kalamazoo, was located on the route between Detroit and Fort Saint-Joseph (nowadays Niles, Michigan). French-Canadian traders, missionaries, and military personnel were quite familiar with this area during the French era and thereafter. The name for the Kalamazoo River was then known by Canadians and French as La rivière Kikanamaso. The name "Kikanamaso" was also recorded by Father Pierre Potier, a Jesuit missionary for the Huron-Wendats at the Assumption mission (south shore of Detroit), while en route to Fort Saint-Joseph during the fall of 1760.[10] Legend has it that "Ki-ka-ma-sung," meaning "boiling water," referring to a footrace held each fall by local Native Americans, who had to run to the river and back before the pot boiled.[11] Still another theory is that it means "the mirage or reflecting river."[12] Another legend is that the image of "boiling water" referred to fog on the river as seen from the hills above the current downtown. The name was also given to the river that flows almost all the way across the state.

The name Kalamazoo, which sounds unusual to English-speaking ears, has become a metonym for exotic places, as in the phrase "from Timbuktu to Kalamazoo."[13] Today, T-shirts are sold in Kalamazoo with the phrase "Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo."[14]

The location could not be found.

Choose the Right Barber Training Program near Kalamazoo MI

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal barber college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information 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 exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Kalamazoo MI.