Beauty School Drop-In

When it's time for Angie Laakkonen to get a haircut, color or highlights, she books an appointment at her favorite salon.

With so many salon choices, the Madison, Wisc., resident said she frequents her favorite salon because it is "comfortable" and the stylists are "very sincere." She has referred friends and family as well.

But rather than going to an upscale, medium-sized or even chain salon, Laakkonen chooses a local cosmetology school for salon services.

With four cosmetology schools in the Madison area, there is ample opportunity to become a beauty school drop-in and pay discount prices for personal pampering such as haircuts, hair color, highlights, permanents, waxing, blow-dry or thermal styling, manicures, pedicures and facials.

Laakkonen, who gets her hair cut and colored at Empire Beauty School (formerly Martin's College of Cosmetology), said she has always been happy with the service, work and especially the price of a school salon.

"They do good work," Laakkonen said. "It's not as expensive."

John Fahey, program director for the Madison Area Technical College Barber/Cosmetology program, said in addition to an affordable price, school salons offer the benefits of a professional staff and full-service salon menu.

For cosmetology students, the first nine weeks of the program involve theory and practical work on mannequins, Fahey said. Passing grades are required for eight exams before students become "certified" and can work on clients, he said.

After the first 180 hours, MATC students spend half a day on the salon floor and half a day in the classroom, continuing theory and practical work on advanced topics, Fahey said.

Fahey, who has worked in the industry for 23 years, said students are prepared before performing entry-level services. Customers include students, corporate business people and legislators, he said.

"Customers can be assured that when a student works on them, they have been certified," Fahey said. "Before students perform a service on a customer, I know the person has done it many times before."

Sun Prairie resident Lana McCarthy, who goes to the MATC Salon for highlights and lowlights, said she learned about the salon when she worked Downtown. She said although it is a learning environment, she isn't worried about the work. The floor instructors are monitoring the students and assuring quality control, she said.

"The instructors are watchful," McCarthy said. "They do a good job of checking."