UCAS University of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences — Local services in McAllen

If you are considering attending this school, I would advise caution due to its unprofessional environment. I have chosen to remain anonymous for personal reasons. While the school's expectation of 100% attendance is reasonable, its outdated facilities are a concern. The air conditioning system was malfunctioning for months, and the classrooms were extremely hot due to the outside weather conditions. The administration's response to this issue was inadequate, as they suggested relocating to a service room without providing a viable solution. I paid approximately $10,000 in tuition, yet the school failed to maintain basic amenities. The administration treats students like children, restricting their access to essential supplies and requiring an 'adult' to be present. Additionally, the school is behind schedule in providing incentives, which are intended to motivate students to perform well. These incentives are often delayed by months, making it difficult for students to feel motivated. The staff appears welcoming during the registration process, but their attitude changes once you are enrolled. The hour clock system is also unreliable, occasionally malfunctioning and causing discrepancies. The administration places undue pressure on students to bring in clients, and recently mandated that students sell bingo tickets, which was perceived as overly aggressive. This approach highlights the school's prioritization of financial gain over student well-being. Furthermore, the school's hygiene standards are lacking, as evidenced by the reuse of gowns with makeup residue from previous graduates. Students are required to wear uniforms, but the school does not provide them or offer a discount. The packages provided to students at the beginning of their program are minimal and inadequate. While the school does provide some supplies, they are often insufficient or of poor quality. The administration's claims of providing necessary supplies are misleading, as they charge extra for these items without delivering adequate value. One positive aspect of the program is the inclusion of a drill and lamp. However, multiple students have reported not receiving their smocks until a month or more after starting the program. Overall, the school has significant potential, but its administration's attitude and policies hinder its ability to provide a quality education. I hope that the administration will take these concerns seriously and implement changes to improve the student experience. Update: 8 months later and i have yet to receive my Incentive.. Replying: Ah yes, nothing says professionalism like arguing with students in the reviews. Thanks for confirming...

I recently attended this school, and I do not recommend it. The staff is often unhelpful and unprofessional—most of the time their response to questions is simply “I don’t know.”

When me and my mom first went to the school to get information, we were advised of some of the supplies needed and told that we could purchase the kit through the school. When we saw the list and price of the kit, we said we were going to wait to enroll because we could not afford it at the moment. The financial aid lady then told us not to worry—that we could get a student loan to pay for the kit. Based on that, I decided to enroll.

However, on my first day of class is when I was informed that the kit would take up to six months to arrive. If I had known this earlier, I never would have enrolled. When I asked how I was supposed to participate in class without supplies, I was told to “buy my own in the meantime.” I explained that I couldn’t afford that, yet the only solution they offered was to notify me two weeks in advance of what I would need. That’s not realistic or helpful.

I later learned from other students—and even saw videos online—that this issue has been happening for years. Multiple classes before mine went through the same thing, only receiving their kits right before graduation. When I confronted staff about this, they insisted it was the “first time this has happened,” which is clearly untrue given the repeated pattern. The lack of honesty with incoming students is unacceptable.

Beyond that, the professionalism of the staff is questionable. I overheard two staff members speaking badly about my mom. At one point, when our teacher was out for surgery, we were left unattended on the floor without proper instruction.

The school itself is in poor condition: the restrooms are dirty, the equipment is broken, and the building feels neglected. They also sell food and merchandise but only accept cash—and never provide receipts—which feels very suspicious.

On top of all this, the financial side is shady. When I asked if I could use loan money to purchase my own supplies, I was told no. I was also told I wouldn’t receive my loan funds until February, months after signing the papers. When I asked for the loan company’s information or account details, I was told they “didn’t know” because they hadn’t “requested the money yet,” even though more than a month had already passed.

Overall, this school has been extremely disappointing. Between the lack of communication, unprofessional staff, unsanitary conditions, broken equipment, and financial red flags, I strongly urge anyone considering enrollment to...

⚠️⚠️BEWARE for anyone looking to attend here⚠️⚠️ I Attended this school in 2022 a lot of equipment broken, school is extremely old and was always leaking. Rude teachers. Rude students. Not to mention 20k just to Attend is insane! I have been licensed since 2023 and have not found a single job worth taking! The most you'll find is $9-$12 and to pay 20k for that! I am in debt from this school and everything I invested into it supplies, tests, more supplies, stupid courses they offer to get a worthless certification. I have moved on to the medical field because i couldnt make it out here with bills. They dont tell you it'll take 3 yrs to make a basic salary! BEWARE. do your research before attending a 20k school to make $9hr. You hardly get trained by anybody professional just ppl who couldnt make it in the industry so they rely on hourly like ms.ozuna💀 the only good thing about this place was Ms.lam whose a great teacher other than that this place is garbage⚠️⚠️⚠️

EDIT: As mentioned I am pursing healthcare no matter how good you do your "craft" you'll depend on tips, commission or $9hr. And let's not forget how old and musty the equipment and school is, anyone looking into this beware how much debt you're going into, they'll keep asking for money to supposedly "benefit" you on "your career". Out of 19 of my classmates only 4 of us were licensed and only one of us works as a hairstylist everyone else pursued something else because the pay in the valley is HORRIBLE 💀Again a 20k...