Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Hairdressers And Cosmetologists
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Santa Monica College, Pasadena City College, Riverside Community College, and Citrus College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider MTI College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider San Diego City College and East San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Lassen Community College, Gavilan, Laney, and College of San Mateo.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Santa Monica College, Laney, Santa Barbara City College, and Pasadena City College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Lassen Community College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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John Peri's Beauty College • Lomita, CA
Studying Hair/Cosmetology/Nails (completion in 2003)
• 8/13/2011
"I was somewhat satisfied with the school. It taught me the basics I needed to know. The school was a little expensive for me, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you love hair and it's your passion, I recommend it to you. Once you're done with school you should network to find a job right away to pay off the student loans. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Many women go into this program to open their own salons or work at prestigious salons. Some don't end up at the places they want to be. The major is the same for all students entering the beauty college. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The school is adequate in what they teach you. It was an 8 month program. We learned many techniques, such as highlighting, hair styling, massaging, pedicures, make-up, etc. |
| Instruction | 7 | The school's teacher was very thorough when she taught us hair. She would walk around and critique what we did, and tell us if we were doing a good job. |
| How Difficult | 6 | It was difficult to learn colors and formulas for dying hair. We had to use a workbook and we had practicums and quizzes every week. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school was very hands-on because it was a beauty college. There was some book work and quizzes. They held classes after the salon closed. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The school is flexible. It had day and night programs. You could have a second job, and go to school if you wanted. It all depended on the hours you finished to get your license. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Each student had to purchase a mannequin head to practice cut and coloring. Some students practiced hair up-dos and styles on each other. Others did nails or dyed each other's hair for practice. |
| Social Life | 4 | Some students kept to themselves if they wanted to focus on their studies. Other students socialized and made friends. |
| Placement Services | 5 | They do provide some support in finding jobs. You have to do most of the searching if you want to work at a particular salon. You have to network. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | There really isn't an alumni support network. The school changed it's name to Marinello after I graduated. |
Lawrence School Of Cosmetology • Hanford, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2004)
• 10/2/2011
"I loved the school and the friends I made there. I wouldn't have had the success in my career that I had if I had not gone to that school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend others to that school, and have. People I have sent to that school completed the course and successfully graduated and became licensed. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The school is still busy, and has always had good instructors. I know two of the instructors working there now and they are very experienced and knowledgeable. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My instructors were very experienced and knowledgeable. The school provided a state board prep course for students who were close to graduating, which was so helpful. |
| Instruction | 10 | My instructors were not only knowledgeable but also experienced. They knew the curriculum, and they had real life experiences relating to it. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Cosmetology is not very challenging. If you commit your time and attention, you will be successful. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The course was fairly book-oriented. We had textbook-based lessons every day and homework based on those lessons. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There school day is 8-4. I know some schools offer night courses but I thought they were very flexible with the students who had scheduling conflicts. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | Its not the fanciest building, but they have all the necessary space and equipment to teach the course. Everything is clean and up to date. |
| Social Life | 6 | The social experience was interesting. There were folks from many different walks of life and age groups attending my school. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The school is set in a small town, and the owners have a lot of industry contacts locally. They are good at helping students find local jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I have a unique experience because I had knowledge and relationships with some of the alumni prior to attending the school. I have heard they are very good with helping students find local jobs in salons. |
Bellus Academy • Poway, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2006)
• 10/23/2011
"There are so many areas it can improve on, I can't even begin. I really wish I had done more research rather than choosing the one that was the "cheapest.""
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Too many graduates from the school are no longer in the business for various reasons. The instructors were terrible and only seemed to be there for a consistent paycheck rather than teaching what they love doing. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | They're not known for having a good reputation. Most people I know that have graduated from here are either no longer hairdressers, or they are just now making a liveable wage after working at Supercuts for a few years. |
| Program Quality | 3 | I feel like after 1600 hours, I knew nothing but how to barely scrape by on the state board. I feel like we were taught the bare minimum in hair styles and techniques. Some haircuts we learned were from the 80s! |
| Instruction | 2 | Teachers were constantly cycled out. The school did not teach any techniques except for how to pass State Boards. Information was not consistent and teachers were not very patient with student learning, especially with wet techniques (finger wave). |
| How Difficult | 3 | The course load was easy enough since most of the hours were based off of practical hours. We were given the advantage of working on clients rather than doll heads after 300 hours. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The first few hundred hours were basically lecture where you're learning basic hair-cut, anatomy, and chemical applications. After that you were put on the floor and allowed to work on clients and make tips while doing so. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | There were only two options for school - 8:30-5 T-Sa or 5-10 M-F for at least 10 months if you were full-time. This made it impossible to find additional work if you didn't have a job already. |
| Academic Facilities | 2 | There were not many facilities at my school, and it makes me sad thinking about it. We did not have a library or any media sources for anything. The only thing I can remember was the cork board with promos and maybe a job posting or two... |
| Social Life | 2 | We had none of this stuff that I can recall. We might have had some social events or charity runs once in a while. We also allowed birthday girls to come in and we'd do their hair/nails/make-up. |
| Placement Services | 2 | Very disappointing in this area. They never had a job board, and usually job placement was by word of mouth from other staffers and not through the departments. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | No support whatsoever when it came to this. Although the financial aid office pretended they did have resources, most of them told you you were on your own once you graduated. They only seem to have good connections with Enjoy and Redkin. |
International School Of Cosmetology • Hawthorne, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2004)
• 10/18/2011
"Overall I was very satisfied with my school. I was prepared for my state board exam - I passed the test on the first time and earned my cosmetology license. I learned what I needed to survive in the salon with my peers."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, I would recommend my school to others because I know they would learn what they need to become successful cosmetologists. But unfortunately my school is no longer in business so I cannot refer anyone to my school. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | The school that I went to is no longer in business. After over thirty years in business the owners closed the school. |
| Program Quality | 10 | At the school I went to I learned more then what I needed to pass the California state board. I also learned a few advanced techniques to get my career as a cosmetologist started right. |
| Instruction | 10 | The quality of instruction was excellent because I was able to fallow along very easily. There are over twenty five subjects in cosmetology and I learned them all in a timely manner. I know what I needed to know as a cosmetologist before I even graduated. I passed the theory part on my state board on the first time. I had a 3.8 GPA at school. |
| How Difficult | 7 | There was a huge work load at the school I attended. There was only class offered one day per week on Tuesdays. Once you get on the floor it was like working in a hair salon for free. So you had to balance that and studying for weekly tests. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The cosmetology program was very hands on at the school I went to. We practiced what we learned in the books daily, and on weekly theory days we learned a few advanced techniques. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | My class schedule was pretty average for the cosmetology schools in my area. The school was opened Tuesday thru Saturday. There was both a full-time and part-time schedule. I went from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | All of the instructors were always available to help students. There were classrooms and a huge full service salon area. We had books, a full color bar, and all of the hair equipment and supplies that we needed. In fact, they were top of the line professional products. |
| Social Life | 3 | The school I went to was a vocational school so there were no social environments available. Sometimes the students would car pool to hair shows. |
| Placement Services | 3 | My school did not offer job placement assistance. All of the students had to find their own jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | There was no network for the students at my school. Once we graduated we were pretty much on our own. We had to find our own jobs as well as advance our own education. |
Diablo Valley College • Pleasant Hill, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 1986)
• 12/11/2011
"It was great for the price. Today, many colleges or similar programs can cost thousands of dollars; this didn't."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It was a great school at a great price. I got an ROP program, so the whole degree cost $700 for everything. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It is just a local college. After college I went on to get additional training. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It provided me all the information to easily pass the state test. The school was clean, the teachers where helpful. |
| Instruction | 5 | If you excel then the rate of learning can feel very slow while you wait for the teacher to help struggling students. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Overall, the program was very easy, and dealing with the clients was very easy. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was mostly hands on which was good, but often that is what slowed down the learning process. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They where really flexible. They offered weekends, evenings and more. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | That had everything I need. As a cosmetology school they had clients always come in, and they provided everything I need. |
| Social Life | 1 | They had no spirit but that didn't really bother me. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They didn't help you get a job at all when I attended. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There is no alumni support. You pass the state test and then they are done with you. |
Allen Hancock College • Santa Maria, CA
Studying Liberal Arts / Cosmetology (completion in 2009)
• 1/21/2012
"I was not very impressed. I would have rather have gone to Paul Mitchell."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would not recommend this school. I would recommend Paul Mitchell instead. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | It was just a community college. They didn't really have a reputation. |
| Program Quality | 3 | The school wasn't good enough. I wasn't impressed. |
| Instruction | 3 | I did not like the instructor. The instruction didn't get deep enough either. |
| How Difficult | 4 | It was pretty easy. It would've been better if it was more challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was all hands on. There was no book learning for the cosmetology part. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | There was a set schedule. It was full time and there were no alternatives. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Minimum resources. It had the basic equipment, but it was old and there wasn't enough of it. |
| Social Life | 2 | Hairstylists are weird. I didn't fit in because I wasn't a gangster. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There was no job placement help or career services. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There is no alumni network. |
American Beauty Academy • Brawley, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2009)
• 2/23/2012
"I am completely and utterly satisfied with my school. There is absolutely nothing that I would change about my experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Anyone looking for a career in cosmetology will find everything they need at the American Beauty Academy. I highly recommend it! |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The school's reputation is very high in delivering good information to their students. The school is exactly what I needed for my major. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The school I attended was very professional, and that's something that I really liked about it. The teachers were pleasant and very helpful. |
| Instruction | 9 | The teachers were always well prepared. They taught us in a very professional way, while still keeping it interesting and fresh. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I already had some experience prior to joining school. With this experience, work was considerably easier for me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school was completely hands on. This makes everything more of an experience, rather than usual schooling. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | The school's class schedule was very flexible. It allowed me to have extra time for personal errands. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The school provided every resource that anyone would need. They had stations for all parts of cosmetology. |
| Social Life | 10 | Everyone at the school got along very well. We had a lot of school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 10 | The school was extremely helpful after I graduated. They helped me find a good job in a reliable place. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The support was extremely helpful. The teachers would always stay after school if anyone needed some extra help. |
Salon Success Academy • Upland, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2008)
• 2/17/2012
"The training wasn't great, but they did provide a big enough space for everyone to work in. The building was nice, and they had a large floor and pleasant environment for clients."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I think people pursuing cosmetology should go somewhere with a set curriculum. Also, I think they would need extensive hands-on training and clear directions/steps on how to do procedures. I didn't feel like I had that there. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | I'm not sure how their reputation is now, but when I was there, I remember everyone constantly complaining. Hopefully, they have improved the curriculum since 2008. |
| Program Quality | 3 | The school I went to was, in my opinion, not a good one at all. They weren't very hands on, and I hardly ever got to work on clients. They were very unorganized. I had to basically study the whole course again on my own before I took the state board test, which I passed the third time I took it. I passed the written test the first time, but I found the practical test difficult. |
| Instruction | 5 | I learned an okay amount in school when it came to the bookwork, although I had to go over most of it on my own before tests. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The only hard part for me was remembering everything, like the definitions, and learning what order to do things in when it came to practical work. Overall, I found it pretty easy. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The hands-on training was almost nonexistent. I did well with bookwork. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I used to attend school Monday-Friday, from 1pm-6pm. The other schedule was 8am to 5pm. If I remember correctly, the third option was 4pm to 9pm. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | My school had no library. It had no computers for student use. However, the classrooms were big, and I had one of the only good teachers for the academic work. |
| Social Life | 3 | I don't recall any organized social events. I got along well with everyone, and the people in my group were really close, but never did they organize any parties. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There was no career placement. I had no help at all from them when it came to looking for work. |
| Alumni Network | I do not have experience with the alumni network or support. |
Cosmo Beauty Academy • Sacramento, CA
Studying State Board, Hairstylist (completion in 2011)
• 2/29/2012
"It was clean. The teachers were knowledgeable and kind. They helped me pass my board test and taught me so much."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I recommend it to everyone who asks. They have even moved to a nicer facility, so they even have that going for them now. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I never heard anything bad about it. They just moved to a new location, so we shall see if the reputations holds up. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The school was okay. I loved my teacher, but she was overwhelmed and not around much. |
| Instruction | 10 | Our teacher was fantastic. She really knew her stuff and encouraged us. |
| How Difficult | 8 | There was a lot to learn. They made us study hard. That's the only way to do well. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was very hands-on. Much of the bookwork we had to do at home on our own time. The hands-on part of the program took up most of our school day. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | You can go part time or full time. That is about where the flexibility ends. Of course, they are strict because of state board hours standards. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | We usually were provided anything we needed. Some nicer things we had to buy ourselves. Books, kits, and training videos were provided with our tuition. |
| Social Life | 8 | For the most part, it was fun and educational. There was a bit of drama, but this industry tends to attract that kind of thing. I loved my school, though. |
| Placement Services | I hear it is quite good. I have never had to utilize the service. I'm lucky that way. | |
| Alumni Network | 6 | They provide job placement assistance, but I had no problem finding a job. I still talk to my teachers and a few of the students. We refer clients to each other all the time. |
Newberry's School Of Beauty • Granada Hills, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2009)
• 3/6/2012
"I was very satisfied with my education. I wish they would have helped us more with job placement after graduating as it is very difficult to find a position in this economy. If you had a school's recommendation, it would have made it a lot easier for many of the students."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a very affordable and flexible school. Many people I knew who went there were able to work around their work schedules. It offered night classes for people who couldn't afford to miss work or had young children. Very good education, and it has only advanced, I have heard, since I graduated. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | They have a good reputation. It's affordable and many people go there every year, especially through the ROP program like I did through my high school. When I was there, the management was a little bit unstable, but I have heard it has improved a lot since then |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school taught me a lot, especially on passing the California state board test. The only issue is that they did not teach you more skills for after you passed the test. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instructors were great, very well trained. I learned a lot from them and every teacher had a different background in the industry, which added the the wide amount of information we learned. |
| How Difficult | 10 | It was an intense year long program. I did the program through my high school, and went every day of the week except for Sundays & Mondays. We had to pass different levels to advance and earned our credits through hours. You had to have 1600 hours before you could graduate. After that you had to take the state board test. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We studied some, but most of our training was hands on. The school was an actual salon that dealt with real customers, so we learned as we worked. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They had a lot of different options. Full time was 8-5 Tuesday-Saturday, Part Time 8-2:30 Tuesday-Saturday, & Night School 6-10p.m. Tuesday-Saturday |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | It was a very large building. The main building was a huge salon, with a back room for freshmen studies, and an upstairs room for theory and study time. It also had a connected building for the esthetician program. Once you were out of the freshmen room, you were on the floor and worked as an actual stylist with real customers. |
| Social Life | 10 | I loved it. Everyone at the school became like a small family. We all got extremely attached since we spent so much time together. It was a very supportive network, and I still associate with many of the girls since graduation. |
| Placement Services | 1 | We were all promised job placement and/or help with job placement after graduating. The only person I know of who actually got job placement was the receptionist at the actual school after graduation. It was not how they told us it would be. |
| Alumni Network | Not very good at keeping in contact with us after graduating. We were promised help in job placement and that did not happen either. |
Marinello • Los Angeles, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2011)
• 3/20/2012
"Again, I was mostly satisfied with my school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I might suggest it because it was adequate, but there are better schools out there. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | |
| Program Quality | 8 | I was mostly satisfied with my school. I Feel that it could have been better, but it was adequate. |
| Instruction | 8 | I was mostly satisfied with the quality of the instruction. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I didn't have much of a challenge. The workload was average and I was satisfied. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a perfect 50/50 mix. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They were average cosmetology school offerings. Day, night, and summer classes were available. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | I was mostly satisfied with the resources. I Feel that it could have been better, but was adequate. |
| Social Life | I didn't participate, so I cannot say. | |
| Placement Services | I never used them so I cannot say. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I cannot say because I was never interested in that. |
Riverside Community College • Riverside, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2006)
• 3/13/2012
"After completing the program, I felt I had the knowledge to go out and work. With the help of the instructor, I was able to find a job quickly after obtaining my license."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a thorough and inexpensive program that supports helping one another in learning and perfecting skills. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | It's one of the top programs in California and there is a waiting list to get in. |
| Program Quality | 9 | It is one of the best programs in California. It's inexpensive and provides a lot of instruction and hands on time to help develop your skill. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors have awards and credentials to their names. It's a well rounded, knowledgeable staff with good connections. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I found the program interesting. The most challenging aspect is getting the technique right in order to work efficiently rather than correcting mistakes when I went back to check my work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The first part is heavy on book learning because we need to understand the concepts, but once we've demonstrated proficiency on the subjects, we move onto the hands on portion, which we spent a greater amount of time on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | It is a fast paced program that requires you to attend all classes at set days and times. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The program is part of a community college that is continuing to expand. There is a lot of support from students, instructors and advisors. The only issue is parking may be difficult. |
| Social Life | 5 | Because this program is part of a community college, it is a commuter school. There are clubs on campus and athletic teams that try to get the students excited and involved with activities. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Available job information is given and the instructors are all in the business and offer to help network for future job placements. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | There is not a real network set up by the program. The students in the class have set up a facebook page to post interesting topics, ideas and job opportunities. |
California Academy Of Beauty • Garden Grove, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2011)
• 3/29/2012
"I wish the instructors would have been better and the place would have been cleaner. But I'm glad I went, because I've ended up with a career to help me throughout college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | It's only worth it to attend as an ROP, which is when the high school pays for you to attend. But since they're disconnecting the ROP, you can't do that anymore. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | Many well-known hair stylists have come from the California Academy of Beauty. However, they're starting to remove their ROP program from a lot of high schools, which is ruining their reputation. |
| Program Quality | 4 | The instructors there are not very friendly. Also, they don't seem to have very high sanitary standards, because I've known people to get lice from their combs. |
| Instruction | 6 | I learned a lot, but the instructors aren't friendly. They were helpful in assisting with career preparation, but it only seemed like they wanted their students out of their institution as fast as possible. |
| How Difficult | 3 | There wasn't very academic challenge, which can be relaxing because it doesn't take much brain work. Work load was light. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We practiced a lot with "theory," which is book and classroom work. But mostly we worked hands-on with modeled heads and customers. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | There are no online classes. You can take classes during summer; classes during fall, winter, and spring are inflexible when it comes to the hours you're there. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | There weren't very many tutors or instructors. No library, media, or computer resources. One classroom space, one "lab" which is where we practiced on customers. |
| Social Life | 4 | Some students were friendly, but not very many. It's hard to find a group you fit in with. There isn't any school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 5 | They helped me find a place near my home where I could work for a decent wage. However, I wish their job placement program would have been more helpful. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | There is no alumni network. Instructors were very helpful when it came to planning for my career as a cosmetologist. |
Lyle's Colleges Of Beauty • Bakersfield, CA
Studying Hair (completion in 2007)
• 3/31/2012
"The right amount of education for a reasonable price. People are always going to need cosmetologists."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Great learning experience. Anyone interested would benefit from attending here. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It's been around for over thirty years, and it's well known as one of the best in my area. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The skills I acquired helped prepare me for the business world of cosmetology. Didn't prepare me for angry customers, though. |
| Instruction | 8 | I was very comfortable in class. The hands on, step by step nature of the classes allowed me to pick it up fast. |
| How Difficult | 5 | A lot easier than regular college. I am better working with my hands. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had practice heads of our own as part of the tuition. We submitted our work (finals) on these. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | It was crucial to be at class on time and stay on schedule. Most of the instructors had their own jobs. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Hands on learning in the real world. We would cut hair by ourselves twice a week. But the instructor was always right there. |
| Social Life | 10 | The girls were all great people. |
| Placement Services | I found my own job before I was done. A classmate told me their placement services were alright. | |
| Alumni Network | I didn't really pursue this. Not sure what it's about. |
San Jose City College • San Jose, CA
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 1999)
• 3/27/2012
"I was very satisfied. I passed the board on my first try so I feel the school was at the top for that."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend it because it has a high success rate and it is affordable for what they do. Overall, great school. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Long waiting lists. High State board pass rates. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Great program. I passed the state exam so I was very happy with the program! |
| Instruction | 7 | The program was mainly to pass the board, but it taught some job skills. Would have liked a little more. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Had a lot of great academics. Lots of practicing, good amount of work, even off campus. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Mostly hands on, but a quarter of the time it was book based. I think we had theory (book) in the morning for an hour and the rest of the day was hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | My class was Mon thru Fri 8-4. No weekends, no other options. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | |
| Social Life | 6 | It was mainly focused on learning. Very seldom was there a party or a "free" day. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The school teaches you and expects you to get a job on your own with the skills you've learned. It is probably different now as this was 10 years ago. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I don't think they have one. At least if they do, I haven't heard of it. |
Madera Beauty School • Madera, CA
Studying Business (completion in 2011)
• 4/12/2012
"I would have to say I was very satisfied with my school choice as well as career. I would recommend and have recommended Madera beauty college to many people without hesitation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would and have recommended Madera beauty college to many people. I had the best experience with them and am glad I went there. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I searched a number of beauty schools before I signed up for one. Although they didn't have the best reputation, it was closer to my home. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I was very happy with Madera beauty college. They were very friendly and taught me the correct way to do hair. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instructors were fabulous and helped me through the certificate process. One instructor even helped me after hours as I needed. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I didn't find the work load to be that overwhelming. With such great instructors, it wouldn't be, would it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I loved the hands on service over the book learning. It made us all learn a little more. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | We were able to move our schedules between day and evening classes as needed. If someone needed more time off, the school was very reasonable. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | For beauty school, there were no libraries or Internet available. But, we wouldn't really need those. |
| Social Life | It was a beauty school so they didn't have social events. | |
| Placement Services | 10 | The school helped me set up several different interviews until I found the ultimate place to work. |
| Alumni Network | Not applicable |
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