Questions to Ask on a Cosmetology School Tour

School visits are an important first step when deciding where to begin your education. Touring a school campus gives you valuable information about the school’s environment, education style, and student body.  In order to find out if a school fits your personality and needs, it’s important to prepare questions to ask during your cosmetology school tour.

With so much information to cover, it can be hard to know where to start.  We’ve compiled a list of categories and questions to ask on your cosmetology school tour to make sure a school is a good fit for you.

Class Structure

Whether you learn best in a small setting or a large crowd, knowing your ideal learning style is a great first step in choosing your ideal cosmetology school. Questions you could ask about class structure include:

1. How big are your class sizes?
2. What is the age range of students who attend your school?
3. How many instructors are with a class during the day?
4. Are classes divided by skill level or do all students work together regardless of experience?

Day-to-day Operations

While there can be many similarities between cosmetology schools, every school functions a little bit differently day-to-day. Questions about general operations may look like:

1. What is the weekly schedule?
2. Do you have multiple schedule options? Do you offer a part time program?
3. What does a typical classroom day look like? A clinic day?
4. What is your attendance policy?
5. Does your school have a dress code?
6. Is there homework or work that students will need to do outside of the weekly schedule?
7. What happens if I miss a day or something comes up unexpectedly?

Content

When choosing a cosmetology school, you want to make sure that the subjects taught line up with your interests and career goals.  Content related questions could sound like:

1. What topics and skills does the program cover?
2. Is [specific interest] covered in this program?
3. Is this the best type of program for someone interested in [specific interest] to take?
4. How is progress tracked throughout the program?
5. Do you work on real guests? If so, when does that start?
6. How much of the program is theory vs. hands on?
7. Do you help with preparing for the state board exam?

Class Equipment 

Any cosmetology program you take will require specialized tools and resources in order to complete hands-on training. In order to make sure you know what equipment is required, you can ask:

1. Is there a student kit or equipment included in tuition or do I need to bring my own tools?
2. If the student kit is included, is there anything I need to purchase outside of the kit that I will need for the program?
3. Can I see what comes in the kit or a list of tools I would need to provide?

Logistics

In order to get a clear picture of what the cosmetology education process looks like, it’s important to know the finer details.  Some questions you can ask about logistics may include:

1. Does this program meet the requirements for state licensure?
2. When are the next available start dates? How often does a new class start?
3. How do I start the program? What does the signup process look like?
4. How quickly can I start in a program? 
5. What is your graduation rate?
6. What is your rate of students who pass their state exams on the first try?

Licensing

Cosmetology schools are a wealth of information not only in education, but also state laws & rules that apply to the beauty industry.  To assure you understand how to achieve and maintain licensure, you can ask:

1. What will I need to do to get my license after the program?
2. What are the fees required for licensing?
3. What do I need to do to maintain and active license?

Career

While learning the craft and building your skills helps you grow as a practitioner, gaining industry education will help as you start your first salon or spa job.  Career-minded questions could sound like:

1. What career resources do you provide at your school?
2. Do you offer career education such as business building, marketing, or client retention?
3. What kind of jobs do your graduates go on to get?
4. How do you educate your students about salon/spa life and procedures?

Financial

For many students, the cost of tuition, and how they’re going to pay for it, is one of the most important considerations in choosing a cosmetology school.  Questions you can ask to make sure you understand each school’s financial options might look like:

1. How much is tuition for the program?
2. Is there anything outside of tuition that I would need to pay for?
3. Does tuition include the cost of the licensing exams?
4. Do you accept FAFSA or financial aid?
5. Do you offer a payment plan for tuition or does it have to be paid up front?
6. Do you have any internal scholarships you offer? Other scholarship resources?

Schedule a Tour

For many students, looking at schools can be both exciting and a little overwhelming.  Understanding what you value in an education and preparing questions allows you to go into your cosmetology school tours with confidence.  The most important factor in choosing a cosmetology school is YOU!

If you would like to visit the Atelier for a school tour, please visit our contact page and submit a form to let us know which program you’re interested in.  We look forward to meeting you!