Are you wanting to go to beauty school, but you’re not sure how your parents will handle the news? Choosing a trade school over attending a university can be a tricky decision to make, and earning the support of your parents can help immensely. We’ll look here at some of the most common questions parents ask their kids who want to attend a trade school, as well as some common answers you can give them to help earn their support!

Why Not Go to College?

This question can be a complicated one, and each answer will vary person to person. Parents likely ask this question because attending university used to be the commonly accepted way to advance your career quickly. Nowadays, university tuition costs are higher than ever, and the earning opportunities can be uncertain, depending on the field of study. Beauty school can give you job training before you even graduate, which can result in you finding a good job more quickly.

Some people may also feel like they aren’t cut out for college. In many ways, university courses are similar to high school classes, but are often harder. If a high school learning environment wasn’t right for you, then a college classroom might be even more challenging. We teach our beauty school courses with a mixture of methods to help people of all learning styles understand the material. Beauty school could be an easier place for you to learn!

Taking your interests into account is also important when evaluating what you want to do for your education after high school. If you simply don’t want to become an engineer, scientist, business person, or something else through a university, you shouldn’t. Choose a field and career you love and are passionate about instead and the rest should come naturally!

Can we Afford Beauty School?

Money is always a big question mark when choosing a school to attend. Each place has different scholarship or financial aid opportunities available, so it’s important to explore your options. Most accredited beauty schools offer both scholarships and government financial aid options to help support you. For more information about financial aid at Aveda Institutes, fill out a request form and we’ll connect you with everything you need!

Another thing to consider is that beauty school usually costs significantly less than attending a four year institution. CNN estimates that parents should anticipate spending roughly $57 thousand to send just one child to a public university! Beauty school generally costs less than half of that amount, and graduates can begin making as much money or more after graduating after fewer years of study.

If you graduate beauty school with students loans you need to pay off, your parents will likely want to know how well you’ll be able to pay those back with your first job out of beauty school. A quick peek at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tells us a few important things about cosmetology school careers. First of all, the job outlook for beauty school careers is projected to grow 13% through the year 2026, which is 5% faster than the average job outlook across the entire national economy! This means that cosmetologists should have an easier time finding jobs than people in other industries on average.

The second thing to look at is how much cosmetologists make annually.There are many factors that can influence how much a beauty professional makes. Tips or commissions for beauty product upsell are the most common sources of additional income. If you are someone who works hard and satisfies clients, you are more likely to make much better money!

Those earnings mentioned above only take into account people who are working as hairstylists, barbers, and cosmetologists. There are many other ways you can build your career using beauty school as your educational foundation. You could start a beauty product line, open a salon, or even become a cosmetology instructor! Beauty school education opens up opportunities that you can pursue if you have the drive to be successful.

What Are You Going to do With Your Career?

Parents who are concerned for your future success might want to know how you plan on using your cosmetology education, and what career you can build for yourself. Many beauty school graduates start working in a salon right away after graduation. One of our alumni, Sariah Lee, answered some questions we had for her in our recent blog post. Right after graduation, she was able to start building her book of business and serving clients in a luxury Aveda spa. It’s a great start to any beauty career, and Sariah’s work is absolutely stunning!

Some other Aveda Institute students had the opportunity to go to London Fashion week this year and do hair and makeup for professional runway models! This was a neat experience for our students to explore career opportunities outside of the typical salon experience after graduation. Not only that, but these students now have hands-on experience that can be added to a resume to help them professionally!

Aveda Institute graduates never cease to surprise and amaze us with what they use their talents to do. One of our earliest graduates from the Aveda Institute in Denver started her own skincare product line and opened her own spa! This kind of story is not uncommon among Aveda Institute graduates who have a passion for beauty and a drive to be successful. By chasing what they love most and working hard, they are able to accomplish great things!

Questions Parents Should Ask

We want the parents of our beauty school students to be completely confident in the choice to enroll with us. We openly encourage parents to ask questions and get as much information as they can before deciding which beauty school to send their children to. Schedule a tour and come speak with our admissions, financial aid, and teaching staff. They will be happy to answer your questions and help you ensure that you’re making the right decision. Here are a few common questions that parents should ask when investigating a beauty school:

  • What will my child be learning about at Aveda Institutes?
  • What are the graduation and licensure rates for this school?
  • What scholarship and financial aid options are available?
  • What makes this school different compared to other local beauty schools?
  • How does the Aveda brand influence the quality of education?
  • What resources are available to help my child graduate?
  • What resources are available to help my child pass the state board exam?

Parents are likely to come up with many more questions, so we invite them to come and meet us! Contact us at one of our Denver, Provo, Phoenix, or Tucson locations to set up a time to come and meet us and see the Aveda difference!

Contact Us!

Do your parents still have questions about your desire to work in the beauty industry? Contact us and we’ll happy answer any questions you may have! For more information on how Inspire Greatness Aveda Institutes can make a difference for you, check out or blog posts on how our school stands out and what makes Aveda different!