
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 Lorain County Community College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Lorain County Community College.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Ohio Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Broadview Heights
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Diploma
- Locations: Cincinnati
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Diploma
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Sort Reviews By:Paul Mitchell School • Columbus, OH
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2009)




• 8/16/2011
"The Paul Mitchell School has a good reputation - I just felt like I wasn't as well prepared as I could have been. I also felt that the school was very disorganized half the time as it was hard to tell what was really going on."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If someone could find a school that would prepare them better, I would recommend that over Paul Mitchell. I would also recommend a school that was better organized then Paul Mitchell. However, if another school didn't exist in the area, then yes, I would recommend Paul Mitchell. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Most hair salons love to hire individuals that attend the Paul Mitchell school. Paul Mitchell has the greatest reputation in the hair business. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school is very reputable. However, I thought that it was over priced when I could get a degree in the same field at another school for half the price. |
| Instruction | 7 | I didn't learn how to do half the things that were required of me when I got my first job. I had to teach myself to wax eyebrows, and the way they taught us to do perms is a little different then how it is done at my job. |
| How Difficult | 1 | I didn't feel that there was any challenge at all. All of our classes had to do with hair or nails. Most women already know about things like how to paint nails. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We would spend about half of our school day in a class learning from a book and working on our mannequins. We would then spend the last half of our school day in the salon working on customers' hair. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They had a couple of different options that allowed you to take classes full time in the morning. You could also take classes part time in the evening, but other than that, there is no flexibility to it. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | We didn't have any computer labs or libraries as we don't need those. We did, however, have a salon downstairs that was open to the public and gave us real experience working on people's hair. |
| Social Life | 1 | The Paul Mitchell School doesn't have any athletic programs or any social events. You pretty much just show up for class and leave. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They never informed me of any place that was hiring. It was “here is your degree - go fend for yourself.” |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Since I have graduated I have not heard one thing from the Paul Mitchell School. There is no program for Paul Mitchell graduates. |
Regency Beauty Institute • Canton, OH
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2011)




• 11/13/2011
"The school was not very good. But I had a good time and learned a lot while there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | It was not a good school. I wouldn't want others to get frustrated like I did. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | Most people know it's not a great school. They trick people with a flashy outer image. |
| Program Quality | 3 | The teachers were careless. They didn't want to help anyone succeed. |
| Instruction | 1 | They didn't answer questions, just chatted. Didn't want to be bothered to do anything. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Some material was hard, such as anatomy. The main aspects, like cutting and coloring, were not rocket science. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Book learning only dealt with things like chemicals and procedure. We learned by doing. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | There were only day and evening classes. If you missed classes you could get kicked out on account of low attendance. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | No resources. Teachers were not attentive. |
| Social Life | 6 | We didn't have extracurriculars, but we did have potluck lunches and parties. |
| Placement Services | 1 | The school had a website, but no jobs were ever available on it. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Nobody keeps in touch with each other after graduation. Nobody ever goes back to that school. |
Ohio State Beauty Academy • Lima, OH
Studying Managing Cosmetologist (completion in 2011)




• 11/3/2011
"Most things could be improved but I learned good life skills."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I had many problems while there. They have a new school feel and are trying to change their image. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It is getting better, with every new class. A new school was built nearby so they are trying to compete with their expectations. |
| Program Quality | 5 | It could have been better. Rules could have been stricter. And favoritism of certain students was shown. |
| Instruction | 5 | Teachers had never worked in salon. They acted liked they really didn't care about us. |
| How Difficult | 1 | I loved the course work. It was a breeze for me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | ||
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | If you had a job you would likely have to quit because it was a six day a week course. Also, if you missed a day you had to have written excuse. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | We had computers, but they were dated. They supplies we worked with were dated and used. |
| Social Life | 10 | The social aspect was great. They encouraged socializing. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There wasn't any career service help. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | We didn't get a graduation. Also, when employers call for a reference they say they don't even remember that student. |
Licking County Joint Vocational School • Newark, OH
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 1996)




• 11/6/2011
"It was a great education. I found it very easy to get work upon graduation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The teachers were excellent. Getting a job was easy when telling employers where I received my education. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | My salon continues to hire people from my alma mater. Anyone interested in the career goes to school there. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I had wonderful teachers. Telling prospective employers where I went to school got me a job right away. |
| Instruction | 10 | Great teachers taught me everything I needed to know. They really prepared me. |
| How Difficult | 2 | The hardest part was learning the names of all the bones, muscles, and about the skin. But the rest was very easy. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of school was spent in a lab. It did a very good job preparing me for my career. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Classes are offered only during the day for younger students. But, they do have adult classes for older students. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The teachers are what make the school so amazing. They go above and beyond, providing all you need to know for getting hired. |
| Social Life | 9 | We didn't have any athletic teams, but everyone in my classes got along well. The lunch crowd was great because that was the only time all of the different classes interacted. |
| Placement Services | 10 | The teachers work very closely with salon managers in the area and graduates have no problems getting a job upon graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | It was a county school, so students from many high schools in the county went there and were considered graduates from their home school. I haven't needed the support because I have held the same job for 13 years. |
Washington County Career Center • Marietta, OH
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2000)




• 12/6/2011
"I am satisfied with the school that I chose and the training that they provided me with. I would not be who I am today without this education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | This school has high standards and helps you complete your training as you finish high school. They also have a daycare program to help students who have children. |
| Program Reputation | I am not sure what the reputation of the school is today. It has been 11 years since I completed the program. | |
| Program Quality | 7 | Washington County Career Center is slightly above average. They are strict and have strict teaching methods. Practice makes perfect, I suppose. |
| Instruction | 8 | My teacher was slightly strict, but she was an excellent hairdresser with a lot of experience. I liked our teacher. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I struggled with the program at first. I missed a little too much school. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The class was very hands on. We practiced on mannequins mostly, every day. At the end of the program, we had volunteers that came in, so we could practice on real people. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The classes were not very flexible. This program was during my junior and senior years of high school, so I had to go 5 days a week. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Our classroom was like a hairdressing salon. We had to pay for our supplies, though, and they were quite expensive. There was no help paying for supplies. |
| Social Life | 8 | I went to many school spirit activities, such as football games. Every Friday, we liked to wear the school colors at school. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The school helped me find a job within months of completing the program. I did not stay long at this job because I moved, but it was a great first job. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The school was supportive and tried to help everyone succeed. The teachers seemed to be close to most of the students. |
Northern Institute Of Cosmetology • Lorain, OH
Studying Cosmetology (completion in 2011)




• 12/13/2011
"I enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would tell them to attend a school that has more in-depth learning and that's a bit more up-to-date. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It is one of the only beauty schools in my old county, and the other program is a bit better. |
| Program Quality | 6 | My program seemed a bit outdated and not up to par with the advance technologies in this field. |
| Instruction | 7 | I have taken what I have learned with makeup artistry and have applied it to my current position. |
| How Difficult | 3 | I did not find the program challenging at all. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | After our classroom theory, we had our clinical practice when we became seniors, but even then we had to study in our books during down time. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | We only could finish our program during the day time and every other Saturday was required. No evening classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The clinic floor had the basic necessities to perform services. Our library was outdated, however. |
| Social Life | 2 | We didn't really have school spirit or other committees. |
| Placement Services | 2 | You are pretty much on your own as far as job placement. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | We do not have an alumni support or network, but a lot of people who went to the school have came back as instructors. |
Academy Of Hair Design • Canton, OH
Studying Managing Cosmetologist (completion in 1993)




• 12/11/2011
"This was a great school and I learned and achieved a lot. I wouldn't change it for the world."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If my school was still operating, I definitely would recommend it. I still encourage others to follow their dreams. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | This school is no longer open. It has since closed, at the time the reputation was good. |
| Instruction | 8 | I learned a great deal at this school. The faculty and instructors were great. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It came fairly easy to me because I have always studied with a vigorous passion. This was something I truly love doing. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In my experience, the hands on out weighed the books. Hands on is were you mastered your techniques. | |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The job placement was great. As I stated earlier, I had many offers before I had even graduated. |
| Social Life | 8 | The experience was always great. Every semester we would hold graduation parties for the upcoming graduates. |
| Placement Services | 9 | |
| Alumni Network | 9 | The networking was great. By the time I was a senior I had many offers to work at any salon that I chose from. |



