From the classroom to the salon chair, a record number of students join cosmetology school
Hooked in by creativity, flexibility and growing demand in the beauty industry, students are enrolling in cosmetology school at record rates.
Lake Stevens High School students are showing more interest in a cosmetology-based career in recent years.
In the past five years, Running Start and Sno-Isle cosmetology programs offered through Lake Stevens High School have seen a substantial enrollment increase. Staff members say the rise reflects a noticeable shift in how students view higher education and career paths. As tuition costs at traditional colleges climb and demand for licensed beauty professionals grows, more students are turning to cosmetology programs to enter the workforce faster, gain hands-on training and entrepreneurial opportunity. The appeal to beauty careers is that they have a high success rate and are financially satisfying.
“I have always been very interested in the cosmetology program as opposed to traditional college so when it came time to sign up for classes, I knew I wanted to take Sno-Isle,” Senior Jack Bailey said.
The Sno-Isle program alone is usually the first course to fill up when applications open. Bailey also went on to say “My classes are pretty full.” These enrollments do not include the enrollment into Everett Community College’s beauty program and Evergreen Community College’s beauty program. With the substantial increase in enrollment and popularity, some students have been drawn away from the program for concerns about demand in the upcoming years.
Senior Avery Jensvold said: “In the end, I decided not to do it because I was ultimately concerned for how every upcoming stylist would find a place in the field.” Jensvold also said, “I also decided not to attend cosmetology school because I have heard from numerous people that the beauty schools only set you up to pass the state exams, and they don’t really teach you any useful techniques, and you kind of have to be self taught after you get your license.”
There are many compelling reasons as to why students are joining or not joining the program.
Director of Sno-Isle and staff member Regina Buckmiller said, “In recent years cosmetology has been the top program students enroll in.”
