One of the most important questions a potential cosmetology school student has is how to pay for cosmetology education. The Montgomery GI Bill was designed to provide soldiers and veterans with financial funding for higher education. Each state has its own Montgomery GI Bill approving agency, and technical schools such as beauty schools are ideal candidates. The GI Bill has even recently been expanded to cover the spouses and dependents of military personnel, so it’s important for beauty schools to recognize and appreciate the service soldiers and their families have given to our country.

Ryan Vaia, a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant, long dreamed of becoming a licensed cosmetologist. However, when she applied to one Illinois cosmetology school, she discovered the beauty school would not maintain Illinois VA compliance because of the need to have an on-site member of the staff maintain academic records. Fortunately there are more than two dozen other Illinois cosmetology schools that do not have that issue.

If you’re a member of the military or immediate family, you may be able to benefit from the Montgomery GI Bill – but make sure the cosmetology school you choose is approved and willing to work with you! As for Vaia, she is already looking at other cosmetology schools in Illinois in order to transfer to one approved for the Montgomery GI Bill.

What are your thoughts on situations like Vaia’s? Have you ever run into any challenges applying the Montgomery GI Bill funding to a cosmetology school education?

Now you can become a fan of BeautySchool.com on Facebook! Be the first to know all the latest updates and hottest news in the world of cosmetology from the Beauty School blog - right on your Facebook page. Network and interact with other fans of BeautySchool.com who share a common interest in beauty, cosmetology and esthetics. Be a part of the hot topics and engaging discussions about cosmetology. Become a fan of BeautySchool.com on Facebook now!

On a whim yesterday, I decided to treat myself to a manicure and pedicure . And I’ve read a lot about student salons at beauty academies – but I’d never actually been to one! So I called and made an appointment at a nearby school.

First great thing – they had me in right away. And “Amy”, the student who used me as a guinea pig, was great. I originally wanted a French manicure, but she hadn’t had the chance to learn that yet. She offered to find me a more experienced student, but I told her it was fine.

The salon itself was nice – it was huge and divided into smaller sections. The equipment looked top notch. The teacher-supervisors were all cheerful and smiling and things felt busy but not chaotic.

Amy was new enough that she still had an instruction card she referred to, in order to make sure she was completing all the steps. But she did a great job on my pedicure – my toes look like little gems! I am definitely planning on going back to see if I can get a beauty facial in the near future.

Checking out a student salon is a great way to get a feel for the local schools while giving yourself a little treat. Just don’t forget to tip!