Are you a prospective student? Want to know more about the admission process and class information? Read on in our interview with Sara Criswell, Instructor & Admissions Director at Amber’s, for a different perspective on student life.
Tell me about the application and selection process for students:
Students need to fill out an application, which can be filled out at Amber’s, mailed in, or done online. (You can find the link for online application here.) Once we have their application, it is reviewed, and if you fulfill the requirements, you’ll be accepted. We have on average 50 students per class, but we take almost everyone who is willing to dedicate themselves and learn!
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| Paper applications waiting to be filled out! |
How much does it cost for a student to go here?
For a full time student, it costs $6,995 + $300 enrollment fee. For a part time student, it’s $7,495+ $300 enrollment fee. Books and a cosmetology kit are included in this price.
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| Cosmetology Kit + Textbook |
How long does it take for students to complete the program?
A full time student graduates from Amber’s in 10 months, and a part-time student takes about a year and a half.
Does Amber’s work with students to accommodate to their schedules and busy lives?
Yes – we take part time students in high school, and we offer full time as well as part time classes. Our students range from 16 – 50 years old. Some are working, some are going to school, and some are balancing both plus a family.
What is a typical day like for students?
Students come to Theory class for an hour in the mornings, where we use the Miladi textbook. Then, students work on clinic floor assignments, like a 9 section perm, finger waves, or color application. This is either done on other students or on their mannequin. The rest of the day is left for hands on experience, so students work directly with clients.
How important is this real-life experience at Amber’s?
It’s crucial! What they’re doing here IS their business. Everything that they’re going to be doing out in the real world is hands on – and they’re doing it now. Theory is important because they need to learn the basics, but it is most important to be able to apply what they know.
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| The girl’s: in action! |
Are students graded?
They are tested once a week in Theory class, and we use the traditional A-F grading system.
What are the requirements for students to get their license?
Their license takes 1500 hours to complete. The state requires that they finish the 1500 hours, and 150 can be job shadowing hours, so they can try out salons before they commit to a job. We require that students take a practical, and they are also required to take a final test in Indy, which is multiple choice and taken on the computer. Amber’s has an extremely high success rate in terms of graduation – about 95-100% of our students graduate every year.
How successful are Amber’s graduates?
They are extremely successful and vary in the jobs they hold. Many are hairdressers, both local and across the country, and some are even opening their own salons!
How is Amber’s different than any other beauty school?
What sets Amber’s apart is that it is a family owned business, and the family is active in it. It is smaller, and we don’t have several locations, so we can keep our education and what we do at a high standard.
Why would you recommend beauty school?
First, if its your passion, its your passion. It’s a business that makes people feel good, and making people feel good is good for everyone involved.
For over 80 years, we've been east central Indiana's preferred cosmetology school for aspiring beauty professionals. Our secret is simple: We keep our prices low and our standards high. Stop in today to see why, after all these years, Amber's is still in style.