Above The Rest Academy

This cosmetology school prepares students for the California State Board licensing exam. Its student body comes from across the southern part of the state: the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, the High Desert and the Coachella Valley.

Both the barbering and cosmetology programs are apprenticeships. Students train at an approved barbershop or salon of their choice while completing classroom instruction with the academy. Each apprenticeship totals 3,420 hours, made up of 220 classroom hours and 3,200 job training hours, and runs 21 to 24 months. Classes meet for four hours a week on the student's assigned day, and training hours only begin once the apprentice license is issued. The cosmetology program is listed at $8,000 and the esthetics program at $4,850.

The barbering apprenticeship covers cutting, shaving, styling and grooming, along with business and customer service skills. Graduates can apply for the California State Board Barber Licensing Exam, and the career paths listed include working in a shop or salon, mobile barbering, renting a booth, owning a shop and teaching barbering.

The cosmetology apprenticeship covers cosmetology theory, sanitation and safety in the classroom, and hair, beauty and skincare services in training, with business knowledge for attracting and keeping clients. Graduates can apply for the California State Board Cosmetology Licensing Exam. Listed career paths include hair color specialist, bridal and makeup artist, esthetician within allowed scope, manicurist, salon stylist and salon owner.

The Entrepreneur Program is open to every student enrolled in any academy program and runs each quarter. It covers forming a business entity, registering a business name, setting up an EIN and business bank account, taxes, branding, marketing, budgeting, pricing, profit planning and creating a service menu. It also includes a photoshoot day for business cards, flyers and promotional images, monthly entrepreneur meetups and a State Board crash course before testing.

Applicants need proof of 10th-grade education or an equivalent, a valid government-issued photo ID, a Social Security Number or ITIN, and court or parole documents if they apply. Training sites must be licensed barbershops or salons with active workers' compensation insurance and offer 32 to 42.5 hours of training per week, and trainers must be licensed, in good standing and able to supervise. Apprentices complete a Pre-Apprentice Training Certificate online, and the academy submits the apprentice license application to the State Board. Apprentices submit monthly training logs and provide pay stubs or workers' compensation documents when requested. The academy states that it admits students of any race, color, national origin or ethnic origin.

The academy says it aims for a learning environment where each student gets close attention and guidance, and describes its instructors as experienced and committed to preparing students for a career.