Penn Commercial Business Technical School — Local services in South Strabane Township

Absolutely the worst experience, I would never recommend this school to anyone. Policies and rules are frequently changed without warning, explanation, or documentation. Students are expected to comply with rules that are neither written nor communicated clearly. Student hours are often mishandled or lost entirely, forcing students to redo hours they’ve already completed. Hours are rarely submitted on time. As a result, multiple students have graduated but still do not have their licenses, simply because the school has not submitted their hours to the state. Reaching the front office for clarification is almost impossible, calls and emails go ignored, and follow-ups are rare. Students often receive conflicting information about schedules, curriculum, and deadlines. Questions are met with vague responses like “I’ll check with the front office,” but no follow-up is given. In a single 3-month period, students had three different instructors with no notice or explanation. Staff are often not informed of new policies or expectations, which forces students to relay information to their own teachers. The staff are constantly getting into petty drama with each other that negatively impacted our education on multiple occasions. At times, students were forced to buy their own supplies out-of-pocket and were not reimbursed, even though clients were charged for those services. The front office staff are largely unresponsive and unhelpful. Students have repeatedly had to chase them down just to schedule board exams or get basic questions answered. Issues are often dismissed as students being oversensitive. These issues have been brought up to the employees in charge of handling complaints and NOTHING has been done about them. As someone who has graduated in the last year, I was told by an employee of Penn Commercial to be careful about saying anything negative out of fear that I would have a hard time getting my license that I worked hard and paid for. I write this review not to be spiteful, but to protect future students from facing the same confusion, disrespect, and disorganization we endured. Cosmetology school should be a place of empowerment, skill-building, and professionalism. Sadly, this school fails to deliver on those promises. If you’re considering enrolling, please think twice. Ask former students, visit the salon floor, and don’t rely on...

Penn Commercial actively pushes out or pressures LGBTQ+ members, including veterans, to protect students who engage in harassment and bullying over sexual and gender orientation.

When I first experienced harassment, Mrs. Gorby tried to “both sides” the issue, taking action against both me—the victim—and the person targeting me with hate-filled behavior. As the harassment continued, and I brought it to the attention of staff, they changed tactics. They claimed my existence as an openly transgender combat veteran, having served six years in the U.S. Army, was “political.” Meanwhile, the individual repeating hateful talking points from politicians was framed as simply expressing an “opinion.”

The harassment I faced included degrading remarks and speculation about my private parts, which is a clear form of sexual harassment, not an opinion. Last I checked, using misinformation to harass minorities doesn’t fall under the category of “opinion,” as it’s defined. The harassment intensified to the point where I no longer felt physically safe attending school, while those targeting me with bigoted insults and sexual harassment continued their education with minimal interruption.

Although some teachers are truly valuable, it’s clear that the administration plays favorites. They gossip about students and make it obvious through their actions who they prefer.

I hope this isn’t a true reflection of Toni & Guy’s ethos but instead a problem localized to the staff at Penn Commercial. Either way, this is not a safe place to learn. They care more about collecting money and protecting their chosen in-crowd than fostering a safe and supportive...

I had high hopes when I enrolled in this nursing program, but unfortunately, my experience was far from what I expected. The curriculum was incomplete, and we were only given half of what was promised. The materials didn’t align with what was actually being taught. There was absolutely no tutoring or additional support offered, which made it incredibly hard to succeed, especially when you’re trying to understand complex material. The staff seemed uninterested in helping students and, at times, came off as passive-aggressive, creating a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere. The favoritism displayed toward certain students based on race was blatant and troubling, further discouraging me from seeking help. To make matters worse, the school’s facilities were filthy. The classrooms and common areas were not properly maintained, and it gave off an unprofessional and unsanitary vibe. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this program or this entire school to anyone who values their education. It felt like the school was more focused on collecting tuition than actually preparing students for a career in nursing. Definitely consider other options before enrolling here. So glad I’m flourishing at the school I'm at now. Wish I never went here...