YOUR HANDS.YOUR CAREER.NINE MONTHS.
Next enrollment opens April 7, 2026
A teaching floor where career-changers, recent graduates, and single parents build muscle memory on real clients — one fade, one balayage, one straight-razor line at a time.
“I thought nine months was too fast. Now I know it was the only pace that would have worked for my life.”
— Denise Okafor
Denise Okafor
Before
Cashier at a grocery chain for eleven years. Two kids. Overtime that never became enough.
During
Struggled with balayage color theory in month three — stayed after every Thursday until the formulas clicked.
After
Passed her state board on the first attempt. Rents a two-chair suite in Midtown. Books out three weeks ahead.
Outcome
Passed her state board on the first attempt. Rents a two-chair suite in Midtown. Books out three weeks ahead.
Come see the floor before you decide.
A campus visit takes forty minutes. You'll watch students work on real clients, walk the floor, and talk to an admissions advisor who was a student here first. No sales pitch. Just the real thing.
94%
First-attempt board pass rate
9mo
Full program length
340+
Licensed graduates
“The shears don't lie. Either the line is clean or it isn't. That kind of honesty was what I needed.”
— Marcus Tillman
Marcus Tillman
Before
Eight years in the Army. Came home restless. Spent two years in warehouse logistics going nowhere.
During
Barbering gave him the repetition he missed — every fade a form of discipline. Struggled with client communication early.
After
Now runs a barber chair inside a veteran-owned shop in East Nashville. Mentors two students still on the floor.
Outcome
Now runs a barber chair inside a veteran-owned shop in East Nashville. Mentors two students still on the floor.
“People told me to wait. I'm glad I didn't. My clients didn't wait for me — I had to be ready for them.”
— Priya Menon
Priya Menon
Before
Graduated high school in May. Everyone else went to four-year programs. She already had a waitlist.
During
Built her clientele through Instagram before month five. Had to stop booking new clients — the school floor couldn't hold the demand.
After
Signed a booth rental the week after her license arrived. At nineteen, she's fully booked through next quarter.
Outcome
Signed a booth rental the week after her license arrived. At nineteen, she's fully booked through next quarter.
What your hands
will learn.
1,500 total program hours — split between technical training on live clients and the classroom science that makes you pass your state board.
Cutting & Shaping
Scissor work, clipper technique, razor finishing. Fades, tapers, bobs, and layered cuts on live clients from month one.
78% of total hours
Color Theory & Application
Balayage, highlights, single-process color, corrective work. You learn the wheel before you touch a bowl.
58% of total hours
Skin & Scalp Science
Trichology, scalp conditions, chemical safety. The science behind every service you perform.
33% of total hours
Straight-Razor Barbering
Hot-towel shaves, beard design, neck trims. Precision work that separates competent from exceptional.
44% of total hours
State Board Prep
Written exam strategies, practical mock exams, Tennessee-specific sanitation law. We hold a 94% first-attempt pass rate.
22% of total hours
Business of the Chair
Booth rental vs. commission, client retention, booking software, Instagram as a portfolio. The business class most schools skip.
17% of total hours
1,500 total hours.
Tennessee Board of Cosmetology requires 1,500 hours for licensure. You graduate ready — not almost ready.
Not ready to visit?
Take the guide home.
The Shears Program Guide covers the full 1,500-hour curriculum, tuition and payment options, financial aid pathways, and a week-by-week breakdown of what students do in months one through nine.
- Full curriculum breakdown by month
- Tuition, payment plans & financial aid
- State board pass rates by year
- Graduate employment outcomes