How to Find the Right Barber College near Plymouth Michigan
Now that you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Plymouth MI, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled 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 kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Plymouth residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance 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 little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually 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 mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Plymouth MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Barber Colleges Online
Online barber colleges are advantageous for students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online barbering programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional barber schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your Plymouth MI home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in local Plymouth MI shops or salons to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online barber school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Plymouth MI residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the barber school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Plymouth MI for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several 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 might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Plymouth MI barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of 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, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 dream is to start a barber shop in Plymouth MI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 developing skills on real people. If a Plymouth MI barber college provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it’s crucial that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with area businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which Plymouth MI area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be available in Plymouth MI.
Considering Barber School near Plymouth MI?
Plymouth, Michigan
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.22 square miles (5.75 km2), of which 2.21 square miles (5.72 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[2] It is located 15.6 miles (25.1 km) east of Ann Arbor and 26.3 miles (42.3 km) west of Detroit, just south of the M-14 highway and west of Interstate 275.
The City of Plymouth has a variety of shops and restaurants surrounding Kellogg Park, the de facto center of town. The Inn at St. John's, a hotel conference center and golf resort, is located in Plymouth. The city offers more than fifty recreation programs for all age groups, an NHL-size ice arena and twelve parks. It also organizes major community events such as the popular Fall Festival, Ice Sculpture Spectacular and the Art in the Park, and access to the Plymouth-Canton school district, with a unique complex composed of three high schools located on one 305-acre (1.23 km2) campus and is now one of the highest populated high school campuses in the country with close to 6500 students and over 800 faculty members. The Barefoot Productions theater company is located on Main Street.
The Plymouth Ice Spectacular, the largest and oldest ice carving festival in North America, is held every year in Plymouth in late January. Founded in 1982 by then 25-year-old Scott Lorenz,[9] the weekend-long event draws an average of 500,000 people to Plymouth each year and has helped establish ice carving as a world-class competitive event.[10][11]
Since 2008, Plymouth has been home to the Green Street Fair, held over a weekend each May. Featuring green-themed exhibitors and activities, the event has become a yearly tradition.[12] In 2011, the event was attended by about 90,000 visitors.[13]
Select the Right Barber Training Program near Plymouth MI
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize 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 certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided 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 confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Plymouth MI.
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