Anything we can do.

[JaredG]

This is about illness/insurance/education, not another rant about women.

My girlfriend is stuck between two education options. She can 1. go to cosmetology school or 2. go to college. Now, before you say "go to college"/thread. Here is the situation:

If she goes to college, it will only be to keep her health insurance with her parents while attending a credited school. Cosmetology is not credited, so she decided she could go to a community college for a semester or two to keep her insurance while she is in need of surgery. The college is only partially paid for in loans, so she will be out the money for college, money for insurance, and money for individual doctor visits. The cosmetology school is paid in full. But, she can't keep her insurance. Her parents have offered to pay for her college. Seems nice, but doesn't make sense to me that they would fork out the money (that will have to be paid back) for schooling that she will not complete. I think they should take the money they would spend on college and help her to get her own insurance, and begin cosmetology school. I say this because she has been offered a HIGH HIGH HIGH paying job at the nicest salon in our city, and possibly state. This job is available through her church leadership (owners), and includes several other of her best friends who are employees (and have been for years, 10-20+) Either way, she wants to go to cosmetology school and begin working for this salon. So, I don't understand why she doesn't start now. Am I crazy?

What could she do for insurance as an independent 19 year old?

[care_bear]

i know a few girls that work in salons and although they don't get paid they still do very well on tips...if this place is a as high up as you say i would assume the tips to be rather juicy

[meltedtime]

What could she do for insurance as an independent 19 year old?

With a documented, pre-existing condition? Not much. But then again, I live in Canada and don't have to deal with issues of this nature. I believe you will have a hard time obtaining health insurance for someone slated for surgery. You might get away with it and not have the ins. company find out but that is opening up a whole new case of risks for her.

As far as what she should do? Go to beauty school or whatever you call it. I know a few hair dressers who crack 100k a year, mostly by hiding the majority of their income through creative accounting. Sounds like that is where her heart is, she should follow it.

[JaredG]

i know a few girls that work in salons and although they don't get paid they still do very well on tips...if this place is a as high up as you say i would assume the tips to be rather juicy

The place that she is working runs on a booth rent system. Basically, you pay a certain amount per month to the owner of the salon (say $500 per person) and you kind of "own" your booth and charge whatever you want, work whenever you want, etc. I want her to work here because she makes her own hours; if she doesn't want to work at a certain time she just doesn't schedule for then. A haircut at this salon is $50-$60+ depending on the employee, highlights are easily 100+, and you make good commission on all of the products (which are only the best, most expensive, etc.) Basically, it is hard for a woman to leave this place without spending $200, and even if they do it wouldn't be unusual to hand their stylist two 100s and say keep the change. If she gets a job at this place, she could easily survive working 2 days per week and rake it in working 3-4.

As of now, she is looking for her own insurance plan and will be starting cosmetology school in September.

[McIrish]

Jared, I dunno man - sounds like a good deal and all, making good money every few days and not having to work the other 3-4. Also, yes, there are some scattered reports of some hairdressers cracking $100k, as you have noted. However, there's a hayoooooge ceiling for the service industry, and comparably few of those workers will ever "make it big" (ie, become a stylist that celebrities hire for $150k/year as a personal assistant or something similarly ludicrous).

I say get education while it's still easy to do so - her lifetime earning potential grossly outstrips the amount she will make if she remains a hair-stylist for her life. Think about it this way... it's great money now while she is 19 years old, but will she be happy with a similar salary when she's 29 years old? 39? 49? I would think the answer to that is probably a "no."