As a recent graduate from the Aveda Institute San Antonio i have a large opinion on this school. First of all i would like to start off by advising no one to pay the $17,000 plus dollars to go to this school because it is a complete waste of your money. Especially when you completely learn all over, once starting an apprenticeship with a salon. My advice to someone looking to go to cosmetology school is to go to a school that you can get your license and try to get into a good apprenticeship program if you are really passionate about learning the best you can learn in the hair and make-up industry. I wish i would've known this when i first started & i would not be biting my tongue every month when I have to pay my student loan payment.
I am a very very positive person, and this school did nothing besides bring my class mates and i down as far as possible during the 7 hours a day that we had to be there. It is very obvious that their is a negative vibe going throughout the school every time the lead instructor is in the building. Being a lead instructor, your job would normally include keeping the place up-beat,positive, but also structured. I am under the impression that this particular instructor has no idea what the words; up-beat, and positive mean. 90% of the time the only things that come out of her mouth are very negative with a hateful tone. Learning more about something that you love and are passionate about is suppose to be something fun for you. Yes, there is always going to be rules to follow, and that is completely understanding but this lady has a completely wrong outlook on rules than it should be. :/ Not only does this instructor give the students a hard time, but she also gives her co-workers (the other instructors) a hard time as well, and makes it very obvious to the entire salon, which is very, very unprofessional. I would almost bet the turnover rate at that school in the last two years is absolutely unreal. We, as students, could tell as soon as an instructor would become unhappy there because it would shine all over their face, and not too much longer they would end up being terminated for something ridiculous or quitting because they couldn't handle it anymore. I know while I was attending the Aveda Institute their was at least 6 instructors that came and left (i was only there for 10 months). One other thing that someone would frown on when meeting this instructor is the fact that she is not very up to date with fashion, and being a lead instructor at such a high profile cosmetology school you would think that the institute would hire someone for the job that is at least up to date with the latest fashion. ex: hair, make-up, wardrobe, etc.
To sum this all up, i was very very disappointed by my experience at the Aveda Institute San Antonio, and would not recommend anyone to attend that particular institute. I really hate to put this out there so everyone can see but it is very disgusting to me every month when i have to pay back that payment to know that it was such a horrible experience, and i thought it would be such a great thing going into it. I wish someone would've told me what i know, now and i would have been able to make a more educated decision on what institute to attend.
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