So I've just finished my first week of Cosmetology school at PCI Academy. So far I'm loving it! The instructors are so nice and welcoming. They seem very knowledgeable about the industry. They're great at keeping students engaged and even though they're our mentors, they seem like close friends too. I feel so comfortable at school! My class is only 6 people including me! I love that it's a small class because we get the individual attention that really helps us excel. We are getting pretty close too. I love my classmates!
If you're looking for a school and aren't sure what to be looking for or asking, here's some helpful tips.
First of all, the cost is very important. School is not cheap and you want to make sure they aren't taking advantage of you. School will roughly cost anywhere from 15,000 to 18,000. It shouldn't be any more than that. They should include supplies and books. Pay attention to their curriculum. They should include something about business management. Most people go into hair because they're passionate about it, but also because some day they'd like to be their own boss! If the school isn't going to prepare you to run your business, then who is? Try to stay away from schools that have their own salons. Chances are you'll only work with their products and learn their techniques. This will not help you if you want to branch off at some point. Empire schools, Aveda Institute, or Toni and Guy are all examples of this. If you are not familiar with mainstream products like Redken, Goldwell, or Pureology you'll be in trouble! In the end what you want is a well rounded education. The schools that are selling you the program cannot be immediately trusted. At PCI, they encouraged me to shop around and offered names of different schools they thought I should check out. That's dedication! I've heard terrible things about Regis from instructors and students. Unfortunately, not every school is interested in your education, rather they just want your check. I visited Empire and totally hated it there. The salon floor was dirty and unorganized. The students were dressed sloppy and the whole image was pretty ghetto. I was not impressed. These things sound superficial, but think about it. If you walk into a school that is dirty and sloppy, that means they are not teaching these students the proper ways to clean and sanitize. And even if they are, they're not enforcing it. When I went there the wax pot was left open, this can lead to unsanitary conditions and you can pass on skin problems. The beauty industry is so personal, I mean you're touching people on a daily basis. It is important to learn proper sanitization and be clean and diligent about keeping clean. About the students dressing sloppy- this industry is all about image. When you walk into a salon and you're trusting someone with your hair would you pick the stylist that is clean, nice makeup, great hairstyle, and looks professional, or are you going to pick the one with their hair thrown in a ponytail, dirty clothes, wrinkled, and flip flops on looking a mess? To me this meant that Empire was not a professional school which meant they weren't going to teach me anything about how to market myself. They spend a lot of money on promotional things. They give you this giant look book when you sign up for a tour which looks like it must have been expensive to print. That's where the tuition money is going. On flashy things to lure students in. Beware of that!! If it looks like they've spent more money on advertising than on equipment and tools in the salon...that's a problem. So anyway. If you have any questions please let me know! I've researched A LOT and I've visited many schools. My mom is a hairdresser and educator..I have the info you need!
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