Inexperienced male entering cosmetology school. Am I in trouble?

Question

Hello! I'm a 26 year old guy entering cosmetology school and I'm worried that I'll be at a disadvantage because I don't have any previous experience working with women's hair/nails/etc. I've cut men's hair before with clippers and I'm not too bad at fades and the like but the most I've done with long hair is try to braid. That being said, I don't start until next month and I've got YouTube and a copy of our textbook (Milady's). Is there anything I should try to learn beforehand or is it better to go in as a blank slate? I'm kind of nervous because I'll be the only guy in our class and I don't want to look like an idiot.

Answer 1

Hi, I first want to start out by saying congrats on leaning toward a career in cosmetology. When I was in my cosmetology class we had one guy in our class and he was the most popular one in the class. It was great having a guy in the class. I also want to give you advice on if you need to “prep” before cos school. My answer is no you don’t need to prep. I started cos school when I was 15 years old. I graduated when I was 17 and took my state boards. We all didn’t know anything about hair and you will have more then enough hours to complete to learn what you need to know to pass state boards. Notice how is said to pass state boards, because the real experience you learn doing hair is after you graduate with your license. You will learn everything you need to do hair in an actual salon after you graduate. It is such a rewarding field to be in. Just get your schooling done and work in a salon to fulfill your experience. Remember, trends are always changing too. So don’t forget to stay up to date on trends. If you have anymore questions feel free to reach out. I wish you nothing bumpy great luck in your new career choice! I love being a cosmetologist and my clients make the hard long days worth it!