A high school acquaintance of mine did this. She started at a local college because that was the expectation, made it a few semesters before she dropped out, and enrolled in cosmetology school. She ended up marrying a hair stylist (gorgeous French guy), and they opened a salon together in LA. They are both very, very good at what they do -- she started out on the East coast and has clients who travel to CA to have her color their hair. Insane (to me) but true. They're doing extremely well - three teens/tweens, lives in an amazing neighborhood in an amazing house, etc.

So, it can work out.

That said, if it were my daughter I would have a very hard time with this.

Bobby Brown of Bobby Brown Cosmetics went to Emerson College in Boston and majored in Theatrical Makeup

Not everyone needs a degree. There are tons of unemployed Mills with degrees, including my dog walker. I think she should pursue it, but needs to have a plan in case her knees give out early.

OP, FWIW, I have two degrees. My hairdresser has two houses. I have one. She put her two kids through college and grad school. I have *no clue* how I will be able to do that as I am still paying my student loans. She and her husband travel quite frequently. They have a pretty good life. Don't sneeze at a "trade".

The only caveat re: any profession that requires you to use your body is that you need to prepare to retire earlier than someone who sits at a desk all day. So your daughter will need to be prepared for that.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have three questions for you:

1) why was your daughter undecided re: major? What were the reasons that she couldn't settle on something?

2) along the same lines, what made her decide on cosmetology as a career option? What is the reason that made her settle on this?

3) you are worried she won't get the same "four year college" experience as her friends: how has she been doing in the past 1.5 years of her 4 year college experience? Is she loving it? Hating it? Somewhere in between?

+1 Excellent questions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you seen what DCUMers pay for hair services? If your daughter is talented she can do really well.

The woman who cuts my hair is a college graduate and seems perfectly happy doing what she’s doing.

OP:. She has a flair for style but she would not have a degree to fall back on. I also feel she will regret not having a four year college experience like her friends.

Actually I would think of the cosmetology certification as the thing to fall back on. Can't get a job in your field of (college) study? Pay the bills by cutting hair!

OP, please don't force an unwilling person to stay in college. It's a waste of everyone's time and money (lots of money). If she wants to go to back to college later, she can.

If she doesn't want to be in college, you are wasting your money. You can always pay for it later.

OP, I have three questions for you:

1) why was your daughter undecided re: major? What were the reasons that she couldn't settle on something?

2) along the same lines, what made her decide on cosmetology as a career option? What is the reason that made her settle on this?

3) you are worried she won't get the same "four year college" experience as her friends: how has she been doing in the past 1.5 years of her 4 year college experience? Is she loving it? Hating it? Somewhere in between?

Tell her to finish the year and that if she does that, you will pay for summer beauty courses to see if she likes it.

If she does, tell her she needs to do business classes as well.

I say let her go to cosmetology school. Business can be learned easily online these days. If she ever gets motivated to start her own, she can do that all online and keep getting paid/saving her cosmetology wages as she goes. All she needs is basic accounting (bookkeeping actually), marketing and a general management for entrepreneurs class for starters.

FWIW my family is super into education as well as DH's but we see writing on the wall for the 4 year degree experience for many career paths. Automation and online learning will continue to make inroads.

I know you dismissed business but I'd definitely suggest she focus on business. an understanding of basic accounting would be key.

I'd also look into a degree in marketing.

If she is good at it, she can make a decent living with a cosmetology certification. Probably more useful than a 4 year liberal arts degree.

Anonymous wrote:Does she have follow-through? Is she self-motivated? Is this her passion? If yes to all of the above, she can make a good, possibly even great living doing this and as a bonus she'll escape the college debt trap that so many of her peers are going to fall into.

If she just likes hair and makeup in the same low-energy, "why not?" way most teen girls seem to, and is not excited for college and this seems like an easier path, then she'll end up broke and adrift. Of course, sending a kid without motivation and passion to college doesn't guarantee that they'll turn their life around and straighten up. It's not boot camp.

OP:. She definitely has an interest but has also been the kid who never wanted to turn it up when it comes to studying. Interestingly, she has had the same after school joh for three years as well as the retail one. They really like her in both places and I could never see her in a cube all day. She is good working with customers.

Anonymous wrote:Is she a freshman? What was her intended course of study?

OP:. Just finishing her third semester. Was undecided on a major so taking all the requirements

Does she have follow-through? Is she self-motivated? Is this her passion? If yes to all of the above, she can make a good, possibly even great living doing this and as a bonus she'll escape the college debt trap that so many of her peers are going to fall into.

If she just likes hair and makeup in the same low-energy, "why not?" way most teen girls seem to, and is not excited for college and this seems like an easier path, then she'll end up broke and adrift. Of course, sending a kid without motivation and passion to college doesn't guarantee that they'll turn their life around and straighten up. It's not boot camp.