How to Pick a Barber College near West Helena Arkansas
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near West Helena AR, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit 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 pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your West Helena home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing potential barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a barber and a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only West Helena AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, 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 earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Online Barber Colleges
Online barber colleges are convenient for students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online barbering programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional barber schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your West Helena AR home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in local West Helena AR shops or salons so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online barber school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Barbering Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your West Helena AR residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably 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 reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Following we have put together several of those additional 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 acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in West Helena AR for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with West Helena AR 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 last, consult the Arkansas school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden 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 aspiration is to launch a barber shop in West Helena AR, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a West Helena AR barber school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it’s imperative that he or she receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with area businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which West Helena AR area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of 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 find out 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be offered in West Helena AR.
Considering Barber School near West Helena AR?
Phillips County, Arkansas
Phillips County is a county located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Arkansas, in what is known as the Arkansas Delta along the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 census, the population was 21,757.[1] The county seat is Helena-West Helena.[2] Phillips County is Arkansas's seventh county, formed on May 1, 1820, and named for Sylvanus Phillips, the area's first-known white settler and representative to the first Territorial Legislature of the Arkansas Territory. This lowland area was developed for cotton plantations in the antebellum area and is still largely rural.
In 1919 during the Elaine race riot in Phillips County, 237 African Americans were killed, attacked by armed whites trying to suppress the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America which was organizing in the county. Because of the white mob action, the deaths were classified as lynchings by the Equal Justice Institute in its 2015 report. Phillips County thus ranks as the county with the highest number of lynchings in U.S. history.[3]
As of the 2010 census, there were 21,757 people residing in the county. 63.1% were Black or African American, 35.0% White, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% of some other race and 0.9% of two or more races. 1.3% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).
As of the 2000 census,[11] there were 26,445 people, 9,711 households, and 6,768 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 10,859 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 59.04% Black or African American, 39.25% White, 0.43% from other races, 0.32% Asian, 0.17% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Enroll in the Right Barber Training Program near West Helena AR
Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize 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 certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in West Helena AR.
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