When it's time for Angie Laakkonen to get a haircut, color or highlights, she books an appointment at her favorite salon.

With so many salon choices, the Madison resident said she frequents her favorite salon because it is "comfortable" and the stylists are "very sincere." She has referred friends and family as well.

But rather than going to an upscale, medium-sized or even chain salon, Laakkonen chooses a local cosmetology school for salon services.

With four cosmetology schools in the Madison area, there is ample opportunity to become a beauty school drop-in and pay discount prices for personal pampering such as haircuts, hair color, highlights, permanents, waxing, blow-dry or thermal styling, manicures, pedicures and facials.

Laakkonen, who gets her hair cut and colored at Empire Beauty School (formerly Martin's College of Cosmetology), said she has always been happy with the service, work and especially the price of a school salon.

"They do good work," Laakkonen said. "It's not as expensive."

John Fahey, program director for the Madison Area Technical College Barber/Cosmetology program, said in addition to an affordable price, school salons offer the benefits of a professional staff and full-service salon menu.

For cosmetology students, the first nine weeks of the program involve theory and practical work on mannequins, Fahey said. Passing grades are required for eight exams before students become "certified" and can work on clients, he said.

After the first 180 hours, MATC students spend half a day on the salon floor and half a day in the classroom, continuing theory and practical work on advanced topics, Fahey said.

Fahey, who has worked in the industry for 23 years, said students are prepared before performing entry-level services. Customers include students, corporate business people and legislators, he said.

"Customers can be assured that when a student works on them, they have been certified," Fahey said. "Before students perform a service on a customer, I know the person has done it many times before."

Sun Prairie resident Lana McCarthy, who goes to the MATC Salon for highlights and lowlights, said she learned about the salon when she worked Downtown. She said although it is a learning environment, she isn't worried about the work. The floor instructors are monitoring the students and assuring quality control, she said.

"The instructors are watchful," McCarthy said. "They do a good job of checking."

Floor supervisors are an important part of all cosmetology school salons, said Margaret Taylor, campus manager at Regency Beauty Institute on Madison's Far East Side.

Instructors work with the student at the beginning, during and at the end of all services, Taylor said.

Taylor said students perform their initial consultation with the client and present it to an instructor, who approves or makes suggestions as necessary.

This level of attention only benefits and pampers the customers, Taylor said.

"The students take more time to give them exactly what they want," Taylor said. "Two heads are better than one."

People may not have hundreds of dollars to spend on salons but it doesn't mean they can't indulge in beauty pampering, said Karen Oscar, academic director at Empire Beauty School on the West Side.

In fact, she said, customers could book four head-to-toe makeovers for the cost of one average cut and color at a regular salon.

"You can save a good 75 percent on an entire head-to-toe beauty treatment," Oscar said.

Empire student Toni Schmidt is learning a mix of practical and business skills to make her successful in the salon industry.

Schmidt, who is set to graduate in January 2010, is honing her people skills and getting good experience working with other stylists, performing front desk reception duties, scheduling and building a clientele, she said.

"It's fun," the Madison resident said. "It gets you used to the salon world."

But occasionally the benefits are more simplistic.

"I get to make people feel beautiful," Schmidt said.

Contact Mark Rodriguez through features@madison.com

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Madison cosmetology school salons

MATC Salon

Where: 211 N. Carroll St.

Hours: Weekdays, 8:30 a.m.-4:20 p.m.

Phone: 258-2404

Price: Cuts start at $7; color starts at $23

Regency Beauty Institute

Where: 2358 East Springs Drive

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-8:45 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Phone: 819-0469

Price: Cuts start at $9; color starts at $22

The Aveda Institute VICI Madison

Where: 353 E. Campus Mall in the U Square building

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Phone: 250-3100

Price: Cuts start at $12; color starts at $22.50

Empire Beauty School

Where: 6414 Odana Road

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Phone: (800) 213-3128

Price: Cuts are $8; color starts at $23

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