Complaint Review: Marvel Beauty School - Barrie Ontario

I have so many complaints about this school, that I'm not too sure where to begin. 

I enrolled at Marvel, Barrie Campus in September 2013. During the appointment a few days before my first day I was told to be there for 8am, dressed in black and white clothing. Nothing was stated about shoe colour (but I'll get to that later). I showed up at 8, just as a fee other new students did, but no teacher. Then more appeared at 830am, but still no teacher. It wasn't till after 9 that the etcher showed up. And not with an apology either. Very poor organization and structure. 

We did our oriantation and got our books and kits. However, for the next two months we continued to show up at 830 (as we later learned was the actual start time) but the teacher would still not show up until after 9. We never got an explanation or apology about this. We have to punch in for school, so the teacher would ask us to honestly tell her what time ee showed up. Which meant we were expected to show up on timE, and if we didn't we'd get docked those hours. But yet, she could show up as she pleased. This continued on until they finally hired a second teacher to look after Our group of 25 or so students. She began coming at 8am and would always be on time. 

Every haircut and style that we learn looks like it is straight out of the 1980's. Feathered hair and short layers. I understand trends change to often to always be taught the "newest and best", however I do believe we should be taught some hairstyles that actually get used in this everyday life. 

We are encouraged to take an extra class from the Toronto campus called Super Curly. Our campus doesn't offer it, but it's inducedead in our education. Which means we have to commute to Toronto, at our own cost, to actually receive this class. Now, I already live 45 mins north of my campus, and commute everyday. Now I am also having to drive to Toronto for this 6 day program, that is supposed to run every Wednesday for 6 weeks. If this is included in our tuition, why do I have to pay extra in parking, gas and time just because of where my campus is located, but all the Toronto students get it for free? on our first day there, we found out that they were going to setivh up they style of this class for us (again with no explanation as to why). So our 3,4 and 5th class with all be on  consecutive says the next week. Meaning I had gone in Toronto for 830am to 7pm for Tuesday, Wednesay and Thursday and with only a weeks notice... Which meant I had to do some majod bagging at my part time retail job to get coworkers to take my already scheduled shifts. Seeing as I was the only girl that had a car and a license, I was the only one driving. We fogure it would be easier to just get shots, for those two nights. After hotel for two nights in downtown Toronto, gas, parking at the hotel and parking at the school we estimated that we spent an extra $400 just on those three days. Then there was also the fact we were there the Wedessay before ($72 in parking and gas) and the Wednesday after (another $72). While there, we learned the basics of cornrows and braiding with extensions. We never had super curly clients, we never tried a relaxer or weave in extensions. We were also surprised with our exam a class earlier then when it should have been. Again, very poor organization and structure. 

The main teacher at the Barrie campus is a rude, arrogant lady who loves putting you down in front of other classmates and clients. When you have made a mistake or error on a client, she loves to point that out in front of others while the client is still there. It Makes you feel small, dumb and unmotivated. Me and some other classmates have actually had some of our regular clients tell us about how poor she treats us and how it is not fair. 

Rules in this school change person by person, day by day. I understand there is a lot of us students and that sometimes the teachers can't see everybody at the same time. However, when we get our hair done and how much our hair will cost change depending in if you are a teachers favourite or Not. Sometimes they will say you can only get your hair done if you had perfect attendance the week before, but then turn around and let another student that was away for a few days the previous week, get their hair done. Graduated students come in to talk t the teacher, bring her coffee and just hang out. They also egg their hair done, and pay the same rate we pay (even though they are now clients, and not students) or sometime they won't even have to pay ah all! Again, this all depends on whether you are a favourite or not. 

Now exams. We have 4 written and 4 practical exams in our school term. For my senior one, I had to do a haircut on a lady, anytime within the month of the actual exam day. I did mine on my sister, a few weeks before the exam date (with permission of course). The teacher did a qucik look, gave some awkward and rude comments and said "okay" and walked away. She did not write anything down, and just continued teaching the other students something. A few weeks later I recieved my mark on that cut only to find a bunch of things marked as wrong. How does she remember what I did wrong? How can you base a mark off of something you seen weeks prior? That exam was terrible for me. The previous one (intermediate level exam) I received a 97%!!! But then drama went on at that school as I started to stick up for myself to the teacher. And then, imagine that, I get a 74% on my senior exam (70% is a just pass in this course.  How? How did I get so low when all we did is the same things as the previous exam, which just a few minutes cut off on our timing. I know I improved. I know I did pretty well. Sure, there probably were a few things that could have been better, but to dork down that low? I received such a low mark because she gave me a bunch of 0's. How can I get a zero if I no I tried. A zero to me means absolutely zero effort was made, and I know that isn't the case. 

I am not the only one having problems with this school. A few otheRSVP (and their parentS) have complained to the head office about the disrespect, lack of organization and just plain rudeness of the staff. We had a one on one meeting with the head honcho guy and a lady from HR. Nothing seems to have been acomplished or changed. 

This place is also a money grab. It is an apprentice school, which means your diploma is dependant on hours. Every hour (down to the 15th minute of every hour) you miss, you have to make up. There are no exceptions, no funerals, road closures due to heavy snowfall (which we had PLENTY of this winter), sickness, child care...nothing. But oh, did I mention that not only do you have to make up those hours (by coming early, staying late, taking no lunches, and staying past your graduation date), but you also have to pay for them. $5 extra an hour. That adds up realllll fast.

Thankfully, I am almost done my time here.  I appreciate that you took the time to read this. After spending over $10,000 on tuition, all I'll have to take from it is the new friends I made. Please your research before you begin at any school, especially Marvel. Thanks.