How to Pick a Barber College near Oak Park Michigan
Since you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Oak Park MI, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk 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 Oak Park home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when reviewing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a barber and a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Oak Park MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names 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 earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance 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.
Barber Colleges Online
Online barber colleges are advantageous for students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online barbering programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional barber schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your Oak Park MI home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby Oak Park MI shops or salons so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online barber program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any barber school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Oak Park MI home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the barber training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in Oak Park MI for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of 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? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Oak Park MI 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 propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a barber shop in Oak Park MI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Oak Park MI barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it’s crucial that she or he gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with local employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Oak Park MI area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be provided in Oak Park MI.
Considering Barber School near Oak Park MI?
Oak Park, Michigan
Oak Park is a city in south Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of the city of Detroit, which is located in neighboring Wayne County, and part of its metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population of Oak Park is 29,319.
This area was designated as within Royal Oak Township; it was first settled by European Americans in 1840, but remained sparsely populated for many decades following. The first major housing development was constructed in 1914 at the time of World War I, when the township sold land to the Majestic Land Company to be developed as the Oak Park subdivision.[6] The subdivision was incorporated as a village on May 3, 1927. Two petition drives during the Great Depression to dissolve the village government and return it to the township, citing "excessively high cost of village government," failed in 1931 and 1933, respectively.[6] The village incorporated as city on October 29, 1945 following the end of World War II.
Stimulated by the GI Bill which aided veterans in buying new housing, highways to improve commuting, and planned developments in the late 1950s, Oak Park from 1950 to 1960 was named as "America's Fastest Growing City".[7] Its population increased sevenfold, from 5,000 to more than 36,000. Much of its population was second and third-generation children of European immigrants who had settled in Detroit in the early 20th century. These included many Jewish Americans descended from immigrant ancestors from the Russian Empire, including present-day Poland and Ukraine.[citation needed] Major civic improvements in this period included construction of an outdoor swimming pool and an ice rink in Major Park (now known as Shepherd Park, after former mayor David Shepherd, but long known informally as Oak Park Park).
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 29,319 people, 11,719 households, and 7,533 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,682.0 inhabitants per square mile (2,193.8/km2). There were 12,782 housing units at an average density of 2,477.1 per square mile (956.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 37.4% White, 57.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.
Pick the Right Barber School near Oak Park MI
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber training program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided 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 prepared to start your career as a professional barber in Oak Park MI.
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