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 Heritage, Palm Beach State College, FSC Jacksonville, and Heritage.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider South Florida Community College, Palm Beach State College, and FSC Jacksonville.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Indian River State College, Daytona State College, FSC Jacksonville, and Lake City Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Chipola, Pensacola Junior College, Brevard Community College, and South Florida Community College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Chipola and South Florida Community College.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Florida Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Boynton Beach, Clearwater, Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, Hollywood, Jacksonville, Riverview, West Palm Beach
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Diploma
- Locations: Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Diploma
- Locations: Jacksonville, Saint Petersburg
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Diploma
Florida College of Natural Health
- Locations: Bradenton, Maitland, Miami, Pompano Beach
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Diploma
- Locations: Clearwater
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Diploma
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Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Sunstate Academy • Fort Myers, FL
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2004)
• 11/21/2011
"It was ok, but overpriced."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | You learn nothing in school, so you may as well go the the cheapest school. |
| Program Reputation | I don't really know for sure. I do know the price is very high. | |
| Program Quality | 4 | It was expensive and wasn't better than a less costly school. The instructors were not very good. |
| Instruction | 4 | I barely learned enough to pass the state board. It took a few years on the job before I was good enough. |
| How Difficult | 1 | There was no real homework, so I didn't have to study much. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the time you were waiting for clients, just like in the real world! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | Hard to know. It's been a long time since I was in school. | |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | They were poor when I was in school, but they have moved to a new location now. |
| Social Life | 1 | |
| Placement Services | 2 | They will send you an email listing salons that may or may not be hiring. |
La Belle Beauty Academy • Miami, FL
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2012)
• 11/22/2011
"I wanted to master my craft and I can say that I have learned more on my own than at the school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There are far better schools out there. They might be a bit more expensive, but they're totally worth the money, like Paul Mitchell. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | In South Florida it is the one of the better schools for cosmetology. However, it is not the best. |
| Program Quality | 4 | Teacher quality is poor and the tools provided are very cheap. |
| Instruction | 4 | The teachers barely spoke English and, as I said, the tools we used were cheap. |
| How Difficult | 6 | In order to be good at this you have to have some idea of how to create a hair style or a makeup look. This takes a lot of practice. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | If hands on means working on a doll, then yes, we were hands on. Videos were also shown and there were some teachings from a textbook. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They were considerate of my needs in regards to missing classes due to my job. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | They did not provide any medium to better assist me with studying, such as books or videos. |
| Social Life | 3 | Students are primarily Spanish speakers, making it very hard for me to socialize. |
| Placement Services | 4 | They did not help me with job placement. I had to search for one on my own. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Most of the students only spoke Spanish, making it very difficult for me to relate to them. |
University Of Central Florida • Orlando, FL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2007)
• 12/5/2011
"I think it's the greatest school in the Central Florida area. I would recommend anyone in the area attend."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend the university to anyone seeking the same profession. I found it to be extremely helpful in the advancement of my career. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | They have a well-known reputation for this program. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I really enjoyed attending UCF. I really would have liked to attend USF, but I was unwilling to relocate for school. |
| Instruction | 10 | I felt the curriculum was extremely well thought out and detailed. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I found the program to be very challenging for some students, but I was able to adapt to it very easily. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was very 50/50; a lot of bookwork and a lot of labs. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | Class flexibility was very limited. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I absolutely love the campus and the professors; they were all very helpful. |
| Social Life | I never really participated in spirit events. | |
| Placement Services | 5 | I was unaware of any resourceful career placement programs. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I know they have a great alumni network, but I do not participate in these networking meetings or any other events the alumni committee presents. |
Aveda Institute Tallahassee • Tallahassee, FL
Studying Esthetician's Program (completion in 2010)
• 1/15/2012
"I learned alongside dear friends I have made for life. I learned from some very talented hands. It would be very hard to make me more satisfied with my cosmetology education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Aveda is hands on and promotes all-natural products and earth-friendly processes. Aveda Institutes are enjoyable places to learn. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I have only applied for work in Aveda salons and spas. They all accept my qualifications without question, though I am unsure if this would transfer into others. |
| Program Quality | 9 | This program is very comprehensive. I learned all I needed to in order to be prepared for my field. |
| Instruction | 9 | My instructors were very well versed in the field and had experience. The curriculum did not overstress those areas that are hardly applicable, and did not skimp on the amount of time spent on the important subjects. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Cosmetology school is not very challenging in comparison to a lot of postsecondary education. My workload is not as much as most of the college courses I have taken at the state college. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Book learning is not acceptable as standalone teaching of cosmetology. Hands-on learning is a staple of an Aveda education. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I completed my courses generically. There are no online options. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Advisers are sometimes work to get in contact with. No greater facilities are desired. The institute is well known for its student salon, where we earn the final portion of our qualification and get the chance to provide services for individuals at a low cost. |
| Social Life | 9 | The students are very close-knit. You develop friendships for life. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I was privileged to work for my institute as a graduate. However, I know some of my fellow classmates were not so lucky. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The network of support after accreditation is okay. I was given the opportunity to work at the graduates' salon and spa area after graduation, which was a worthwhile experience. |
Tom P Haney Technical Center • Panama City, FL
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2006)
• 1/10/2012
"I love the school. I love the location. I love the people. The cafeteria was redesigned, and the school also caters. The instructors are amazing. The school also invites high school students to attend, and we are all treated the same."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think Tom P Haney is the best school for hands-on learning. The only downside is the days and hours of operation. Other than that, I have no complaints. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Tom P Haney has an excellent reputation, not only with cosmetology, but with other programs as well. As soon as I graduated, I was blessed with a position in a well-known shop. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I learned a lot of hands-on work. I was able to work on people before I graduated. |
| Instruction | 10 | My instructor was amazing. She was very patient and helped with hands-on instruction. She did not belittle me if I made an error. |
| How Difficult | 10 | The program started simply with basic cuts, and as the program progressed, the styles became more difficult. I felt challenged, in a good way. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We didn't use a lot of books. We learned more hands on, with dummy heads. Then, we progressed to real people. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I had to maintain a certain amount of attendance. I was unable to do the classes online or during the evening. There were also no weekend classes. This made it difficult for attending classes, as I am a single mom. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The classes were easy to access. There was plenty of spa space, as well as chairs, sinks and waxing areas. |
| Social Life | 10 | I was able to make many friends and share experiences. I don't see many of them, but there are a few I still associate with. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I was able to obtain a job as soon as I graduated. I am very happy with my position, and I plan to expand my abilities. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Since I graduated, I have not had much contact with my alumni. It's a little sad, but I feel I can excel on my own. |
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