Summit Salon Academy Kansas City — Local services in Independence

To say that I am disappointed by this school is an understatement. I have been licensed in cosmetology since 2005, but have been wanting to get my barber crossover as well. I toured this school in August because they have it plastered all over social media they had a course starting on October 14th. I filled out the application, turned in everything that I needed into Ginger, the admissions director. She told me that because of new licensing requirements for the instructors, they may have to push the start date back a little bit for them to get that done, but she wasn't completely sure yet. I understood that, and that was not an issue for me. I did not hear one word from her the entire month of September. When October 7th came along (one week before the projected start date) and I had heard nothing at all, I called up to the school and asked if there was any update and asked for a phone call back to see what was going on with it. She texted me back that day saying that they would in fact need to push the start date back. She said that she was going to check with whoever she had to check with in the morning and would let me know. That was on October 7th. Two weeks went by and not one word from her. So on October 24th, I sent a text message asking her if there were any updates on the course. I told her that I was really just wanting to know either way so that I could look at another school since I was trying to get this done before the end of the year. I received this message from her -Hi Katherine! Our educators have taken and passed all of their new required state board tests, so we are just waiting on their new licenses to arrive to our Academy. Our owner/director, Jason York, is on vacation this week and will return next week on Tuesday at which time I will be meeting with him to set a definitive date for you to start. It will be well before the end of this year 😊 Ginger SSAKC-

November 1st rolled around and still not one word from this school. So I sent another text message asking if there was another update she could share with me. Never got a response from her. So seven days later, November 8th, I called up to the school and asked for her to please call me back with an update. A little while later I received another text from her telling me that they are not having a course this year and it would be January 13th!

Ya know, I'm not an unreasonable person. However, that is just wrong.

It is EXTREMELY unprofessional to return a phone call with a text message. Especially when you are in a leadership position at a school. It lacks respect and it does not make me feel like I was taken seriously as a person who is trying to start a program at your school. And if I'm being completely honest, I think it's ridiculous that I even had to be the one to reach out to her at all. Not one single time from August until now did she EVER reach out to me. I mean isn't that your job? You have someone who was willing to pay almost $1300 ( which is the most expensive barber crossover course in the metro by the way. Every other school is $1000 or less) for a two week course and you can't take five minutes out of your day to even give me a quick update? You literally just left me hanging for over two months, and completely screwed me out of finding another school that I could get into before the new year so thanks for that. I also have black scrubs I was told I needed for the uniform which it is too late to return those now, so that sucks. Communication is seriously lacking in this school. Especially in the person who is supposed to be in charge of enrolling people into your school. I think she could use some training more than anyone. I could never in a million years recommend this place for anyone to attend. Ever. I hope people looking to get their barber crossover know there are a ton of other schools out there to attend. They are also all cheaper than this one. Do not let this school screw you over like...

I called to make an appointment for a fingerwave, asked the receptionist was anyone there that could do a fingerwave she stated for me to hold & she would ask an instructor. She came back to the phone & stated yes I made the appointment for 02/08/2025. I get an email for an appointment on 02/08/2025 for an updo. I called back to speak to the receptionist to make sure she understood what services I was requesting, I explained to hear that I wanted a fingerwave & asked did they offer those services she stated yes & updated my services to fingerwave. I get another email stating that my appointment was on 02/08/2025 for a iron work/ silk press I didn't call back, I was just going to explain to them what I wanted when I arrive on 02/08/2025. I arrive at 1:15pm for my 1:30pm appointment, checked in & had a seat. The young lady came & got me with her clipboard which stated I requested a silk press. I stated no ma'am I asked for a fingerwave showed the lady a picture of a fingerwave she stated she had to get her instructor who was very rude & racist. I explained to the instructor what I wanted she had me sign the clipboard asked me did I want a deep conditioner I asked her what was a deep conditioner she got sassy with me & I got sassy back. The student asked the instructor for her assistance I asked the assistance could she do a fingerwave she got sassy again stating the instructor can't do clients hair I didn't know that I have never been to a beauty school to get my hair done. The instructor couldn't handle me being sassy back with her so she said we are done & didn't assist the student with my hair. I am an African American not Hispanic & will not tolerate being talked to any kind of way. My heart goes out to the African American students that have to endure an instructor such as her. The student wanted to ask the other instructor for help but this particular instructor came & just killed the vibe the student just asked her for some assistance & if the instructor didn't want to assist the student she should have said that. The instructor saw two African Americans talking & smiling & couldn't handle it. Summitt Salon had the audacity to send me an email stating I missed my appointment what a joke. I wouldn't recommend this salon...

I am an older male with gray hair. I don't look too thrilling. Maybe that's how I got screened out. Some kind of discrimination, but I haven't decided what kind. What hair I have, needs a haircut. I was referred by a female friend who is a regular customer there. In fact, this female friend was waiting for me in the car. I don't understand the receptionist's screening standards. I was fresh from the tub, well ironed and squeaky. I was definitely not as unsightly as the receptionist who told me there wasn't anyone there to cut my hair. You might have seen her. She's the one with the morbidly dehydrated face. Not front office quality, as they say in personnel circles. She must be the CEO. About 20 seconds after she said there's nobody to do the cut, a very friendly, smiling student came forward and said she could do it. I looked at the prune and said, "You lied to me. I'll tell a few people about that." Still another student was standing there, equally friendly as the first student, and expressed her willingness to do the same. I left and went someplace else. As I neared the door, the prune was commenting under her breath in a trashy stage whisper. Whatever she said, wasn't worth much. One can only speculate what has shaped her personality so.

In the additional comments requested below, I wrote "helpful" for each of the three pics. Pic #1 shows only two cars in the parking lot. Pic #2 Doesn't look very welcoming. Pic #3 doesn't show very many happy customers, does it. I even examined that picture with a magnifying glass, and in fact it doesn't show any...