Hair Professionals Career College — Local services in Oswego Township

My experience as a student at Hair Professionals in Oswego was traumatizing and stressful. I would NEVER recommend this school to any future student for multiple reasons. When I first signed up with administration I did not realize how dangerous the student parking would be. The students are forced to park in an unpaved, unlit, and unmarked lot across Route 34. Since Hair Professionals does not provide any lockers to store equipment, even though it is a requirement, all students must carry their two heavy cases, manikins, and school books across the street. Since there is no crosswalk I have personally almost been hit by cars multiple times. The winter time is a nightmare with the ice and snow mounds. However, the staff gets to comfortably park in the building’s parking lot. Another frustrating issue is their lack of professionalism. A few weeks into my experience I realized they did not care about my education. The teacher in basics class would leave the room for extended periods of time only to be found gossiping with the teacher on the floor. My basics class was taught out of two different text books. I was personally given the older version of the textbook along with a few other girls while the teacher taught out of the new book, which the tests were based off of. When I approached administration about the irritating issue I was belittled and told to “take better notes”. In NO other educational program would it be allowed to teach out of two different text books. I paid the same amount as the person sitting next to me. Once I finished basics I went on the floor to realize that there were not enough stations or teachers per student. Even though they advertise spacious classrooms, the school became so overcrowded that about halfway through the program they started having theory class out of the salon floor with no desks for students to write on. The students would rush to school to try to secure their own station. I felt so uncomfortable because when I was given my first few clients, there was no one around to help me. There was only ONE teacher on the floor with sometimes over 25 students. On many occasions I would chase the teacher around and still receive no help. Keep in mind, they have cameras that administration watch like hawks to make sure no students are sitting down, and if they do see you sitting they come out from the back and demand you to stand. It is even MORE frustrating that multiple people, including myself, have had many things stolen (since there are no secure lockers) and administration refuses to check the cameras to try to solve the issue. In fact, their solution is to charge you for replacing the stolen items. Interesting? I would strongly recommend anyone looking at any Hair Professionals to think twice about their decision. Beware of the fine print in their contract; especially where it states that rules may change without any written notification. You will not be allowed to use your cell phone in the building, even on break. If they even see your cell phone it will be seized. I did not receive an optimal education and am not prepared. I feel EXTREMELY SCAMMED! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. I felt like their top priority was to make money. I felt like I was there every day to be used to perform their services for them to make money without HELPING or EDUCATIONG me during the process. I BEGGED TO BE TAUGHT. But I felt more like an employee than a student. Repeatedly I did not receive a lunch break because I was forced to work through the day. Even though I did not receive my 30 minute break it was taken out of my daily clock hours. Therefore many days I was cheated out of 30 minutes I actually worked. I know students who became so irritated by the mistreatment at Hair Professionals and transferred to other schools, but still owe them their money. Once you reach 750 hours, you owe the whole tuition. If you are crazy enough to pursue Hair Professionals after reading this, take a copy of the contract to an attorney first, I wish...

This is a review as a student. I’d like to begin with the positives which are few: Jenny, Megan and Katie are amazing instructors. They go above and beyond for us students with the little resources we/they are given. If it wasn’t for Jenny I would have dropped out many times. Sadly, the positives end there. This school is the most UNORGANIZED and DIRTY institution I have ever attended and I highly suggest taking your business and education elsewhere because their main mission in the admin office is money. During my time here, I have heard many accounts of predatory behavior from the office when signing up with admissions. These young women were not only rushed through their contract signing that they didn’t have a chance to read what they were signing (I know this personally as the same happened to me but I made sure to read it) but talked into programs that were not what they wanted to primarily focus on with the promise “you learn this in the cosmetology program”. Whereas this may be true to an extent, it’s not fully true and the office should be disclosing this. If a potential student is interested in JUST nails it needs to be disclosed that you will not learn everything about nails and will not be able to work as a nail tech unless you receive a nail tech license. This is the same for skin. We can only do so much as cosmetologists. Instead of swaying students into the most expensive program they offer they should be explaining everything so the student understands instead of only worry about the bottom line, money. The administration staff is a joke. They are beyond unorganized and you cannot come to them with anything as it will be brushed under the table. Students can report harassment from staff and students and we are told “we cannot do anything without valid proof” but yet they “take it seriously.” Even when provided with valid proof we as students are brushed under the table.

My education was mediocre at best. I realize you learn most after your schooling in this field but when your instructor cares more about her phone and doing work for her other job, how can you learn? I have a mile long list of what had to be retaught to me when I went on the floor as we were not taught correctly in the first place. This instructor was impossible to receive help from unless you were her favorite and most of the time you were treated like a burden for even asking. Multiple times during my time in basics I listened to her and another instructor that is no longer at our campus talk poorly about multiple students who were on the floor. This was beyond disheartening especially when you’re first starting out. Your teachers should want you to succeed and those conversations SHOULD NOT be happening around students. I should mention I mentioned this to the office as it made me VERY uncomfortable on multiple occasions and again, swept under the rug. Also, I’m not sure how I got 100%s on some of basics test outs, I never had a teacher observe me doing it. How would she know if I was doing in correctly? The school itself is dirty. There are marks on the walls in the bathroom that you don’t know if its hair color or something else. Garbage is usually spilling on to the floor in the bathrooms and on the salon floor despite students trying to keep up with it. The air/heating vents are caked in dust and god knows the last time they have been cleaned. Multiple students noticed mold in the back closets. The lights are horrible and covered in dead bugs and our product display shelves were so bad that some products were caked in dust and dirt unless some students took it upon themselves to scrub them. I do not recommend this school to anyone. If you are interested in this field please look elsewhere. Spend your money at a school that cares about your education and you...

Awful experience, the teachers kicked out a paying customer, in the middle of her service because it was closing time. The instructors at Hair Professionals in Oswego, IL are anything but professional. Their students are amazing, they’re encouraging and helpful, however two of their teachers are a different story.

I accompanied my sister; she got a balayage, root touch up and trim, so we anticipated being there a few hours. As it was nearing closing time, one of the teachers asked her to pay so she could begin closing her drawer (mind you this was around 8:20, 40 minutes before closing). My sister paid for her services including a blowout (they charge extra for this.

(I was keeping track of time because we were timing the toner on my sister hair) At around 8:40, Carol embarrassed the girl who was working on my sisters’ hair because she still wasn’t done. She first pretended to forget her students name, she shouted “can someone help, what’s her name over there?” again she did this in front of the entire class instead of stepping up and offering assistance. Mind you, I’ve been to this location multiple times and I’ve seen Carol interact with this student, so I KNOW she knows her name. It gets worse from here…

Around 8:55, the student began drying my sisters hair, at which point Tanisha (another teacher) interrupted the student and asked “who’s closing for you?” The student responded I’m not sure none of the teachers have approached me yet. Both teachers Carol and Tanisha berated the student and continuously shouted at her to stop drying her clients hair. Imagine this, she's holding the round brush and hairdryer and they're yelling at her to stop. The student told them, the blowout service was already paid for, so she had to finish her job. Tanisha responded “does this girl not understand what I’m telling her?” The student reiterated why she had to finish her job, to which both Carol and Tanisha said “I don’t care, I am already clocked out,” “It’s not my problem,” “I’m not the floor teacher,” “I Have to go” etc. Mind you this was all said in front of the entire class, a paying customer who was still sitting in the chair, a returning customer and my 11 year old niece who also got a haircut.

When asked for a refund for the blowout, they said there’s nothing they can do and my sister would have to call the following day.

Hair Professionals is a school, so I would expect errors and lack of experience from the students, but never from the teachers. As teachers they are supposed to set the standard of what a positive salon experience should be. Unfortunately, Carol and Tanisha have no respect for their students, they lack professionalism, they lack manners and basic customer service skills. I just can’t believe, they berated a student in front of her peers and customers and at the end of it all they let an angry customer walk away with drenched wet hair. As teachers, they did not complete their job of double checking their students work nor did they at any point throughout that evening offer assistance to their student. I hate to say that I will never return to Hair Professionals, especially when their students do a great job, however the experience was just so unbelievably negative, that I can’t see myself ever...