Pivot Point Academy

I took my teen daughter here to get her natural hair wash, blow-​out and flat-​iron. The staff was extremely nice and her student-​stylist did a wonderful job. My daughters hair was soft and silky and were were there less than 90 minutes (while I had just spent a few hours and a lot more money in a shop two weeks prior). Great experience!

With the NU student discount it was only $ 5 for cut and blowout. The week before coming here I’d dropped $ 40 on a disappointing haircut. So I came here, unwilling to part with another $ 40, and figuring that it couldn’t get much worse. My friend had recommended it to me after saying she got one of her best haircuts here. I figured she had been lucky. But I, too, left with a phenomenal haircut. Coco was great. I love the cut.

At $ 25 for a mani pedi I’d recommend to pay the extra $ 5 – 10 to go to elsewhere. They have a tiny polish selection and the polish that they do have is so old and clumpy that it was impossible for her polish the nails in a way that would look nice. I actually immediately stopped somewhere else on my way home to get my nails redone. Students and teachers are apparently unable to clip your nails which was a surprise and disappointment to me.
The most uncomfortable part of my visit was the end as I was paying. The student walked me to the front of the salon to the receptionist which was nice. But apparently she had done something wrong with the way she started my visit. In front of me her teacher confronted her about it and reprimanded her for the mistake. He continued to yell at her in front of me as I awkwardly stood there. I understand that there is a way to do things. But I thought he should have waited until she wasn’t in front of her classmates and customers before dealing with the problem. He could have and should done this in private.

This place is simply amazing!!! I always go to beauty schools to get my hair done because as a medical student with limited funds you can’t beat the price! Also my hair is a unique texture, and I believe students get good experience working with it. I can say that this is the best student salon ever! There is a parking garage about one block from the salon. My appointment was at 9:30, I got there at 9:15. I was greeted by the teacher who signed me in. If anyone knows about braids, you know that dealing with hair after being in braids is difficult. My stylist came and was enthusiastic about doing my hair. The salon is so clean. All of the students even if they are not your stylist constantly ask you if you want water or tea. The teachers constantly check up on you, which is amazing. My hair turned out fabulous! I will be going back!

My daughter’s appointment was for 6:00 and she was on time. After 9:00 and still not done. WTF? Are you kidding me? A highlight and a cut… over 3 hours and counting? We’ll never be back, price be damned.

My two daughters and I had an appointment for hair color and pedicure. The pedicure was a nightmare as there was no-​one overseeing the students and they were clueless. One of them dropped the nail scrub in the trash can and picked it up and resumed washing my daughters foot. Yikes… never again will I recommend this academy for a pedicure. Pivot charges $ 20 for a pedicure. Could have got a pedicure for $ 25 in a professional nail salon.

Last week, I would’ve given this place five stars — in fact, I’m a journalist and have frequently written about this location as a great place to get decent hair care on a budget. But after my experience this time, I’ll be warning people NOT to go here.
I walked in with hair to my bra strap (in the back) — fairly long, right? I was getting a perm (which I do every 6 months because my natural hair is half wavy and half straight, so a perm makes things easier) and a TRIM. I specifically said I wanted tight curls and a trim.
What I got was waves and about 5″ lopped off of my hair. And the cut itself was so horrible I called to complain. The senior instructor said I could come in to get it fixed.
Ok, so the «haircut to fix things.» At that time I asked what could be done about the perm and was told to take one thing at a time. The stylist proceeds to take me to wash my hair — now, the cardinal rule of perms is no washing for AT LEAST 24 hours. I mentioned this to the stylist who told be that I was wrong about that and everything would be okay. I asked if she should talk to her teacher and was told that wasn’t necessary. So she washed my hair. Vigorously.
After the cut I asked about the curls — again — and was told I didn’t want that (funny how they «know» what *I* want, especially since I said I wanted the exact opposite).
Guess what? Now the curls are all but gone. I have less wave in my hair than I did when I went in (with a six-​month-​old perm and straight roots). Some parts of my hair are completely straight.
Even more infuriating: I don’t even live in Chicago anymore, and I flew in early specifically to go here because my past experiences have been so positive. And the salon is conveniently closed Sundays and Mondays, so guess what? I won’t even be able to get it fixed before I fly back to NYC.
And, yes, I know they are students. But there’s a difference between slightly crooked bangs or a few uneven layers and CHOPPING OFF FIVE INCHES OF HAIR. If you can’t tell the difference between 5″ and a trim, perhaps you should reconsider your career choices.
[Also, the teachers/​management here are the worst. They act like it’s no big deal, what did you expect coming here? Well, neither the initial stylist nor the «haircut fixer» asked for any guidance and the instructors were nowhere to be found after the first five minutes after I sat down into the chair. If it’s a school, fine, but where the hell are the teachers? Seriously, DO NOT GO HERE.]

I just got a great haircut from Eric! He is graduating soon but I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go! But seriously, I will. He gave life to my thin, straight hair without making it too huge and poofy! I love it! I will return! I see that the facials are good here!

Pivot Point has been hit or miss for me – but mostly hit. Out of the 8 times I have been there: I have had 2 awesome haircuts, 5 decent hair cuts, and 1 bad haircut in the sense that it didn’t look any different and was not evenly shaped. It is $ 5 with student ID, so no matter what — you get what you paid for.
You should expect friendly service. The haircut can take up to 1.5−2 hours as it involves the student cutting your hair and their supervisor periodically stepping in. It helps if you know exactly what style you want and if you know what type of cut looks good on you. Also, they tend to style your hair with tons of volume which is not for me – so I always end up restyling when I get home.
I would definitely recommend anyone to give it a try if you can afford the time.

I love Pivot Point — I’ve been there three times and have no regrets. I’m a college student, so it only costs $ 5 for me, and it’s great to help the students there learn how to cut hair.
As for styling, I’m a guy, so my demands are quite simple. It was a little shocking to hear a student say, «So you’re going to be my first male haircut,» but they all have at least a bit of skill — definitely some more than others. This is a downside — for example, the first girl who cut my hair accidentally cut her own hand and had to run off for a band-​aid. Another downside is the length — even for me, each haircut takes upwards of 90 minutes, so don’t stop by if you’re in a hurry. They do wash your hair — several times — which is very pleasant and relaxing.
By the way, if a student tells you that you’re her «practical», that’s the best — it means that you’re the test that she has to pass to get to the next level, so she’ll do a really good job and the instructors check in a lot.
So all in all, Pivot Point is cheap, easy, and satisfactory. It does take a long time, and there’s always the risk of getting someone who has no freaking idea of what she’s doing, but then there’s also the chance of getting a perfect haircut from a great conversationalist. The latter is why I keep coming back to get my signature Matthew Perry haircut.
Also, if you want to see hair in all the colors of the rainbow, this is the place to be.

The important thing to remember is that Pivot Point IS a student training facility. Most of the time, I get just that… the work of a student that’s certainly not fancy but at the same time not TOO horrible. Occasionally, I luck up and get a student with phenomenal technique. (I’ve only had hair appointments here, by the way.)
The thing I notice most is that some of the stylists have difficulty styling hair of different textures than their own. I’d like to see the students have more diversity in their skills.
Nonetheless, the services are clearly at a great price and the hours are wonderful.

After I’ve read all the reviews here, I understand how lucky I was every time at Pivot Point. I go there for my haircut and coloring every month for the period of last 8 months. I wear a short hair, and it needs to be cut quite often. The difference between my experience and many other people is that my friend is graduating this institution and she does all my services. Nevertheless, every time I go there, I feel very relaxed and the staff is very nice. We always try new styles and ideas and the teachers are very enthusiastic about showing their students how to work with different type of tools and hair.
I must agree that not all the students are the same. Some of them seem to expect their teacher to stand next to them and guide through every step. It’s understandable if those are the new students, but from what I know, before getting their first client, they all take plenty of classes to learn the basics. They even bring their friends and relatives for the first few hair services, so it’s not like they practice on dolls all the time. And from what I’ve seen, the instructors are always there for the students, but unfortunately, they can’t fix every mistake or prevent it.
About timing. The first time I had my hair cut at Pivot Point, it did took about 1.5 hrs, but as I kept coming back to the same student, I could see her progress and the process got faster and more confident.
My advice– for the first time at Pivot Point try something very simple. During your service observe the rest of the students. If you are not happy firth your first hair dresser, maybe you will notice someone who does it better. Ask his or her name and next time make an appointment with that person. Trust me, there are many truly gifted students at this school!
When my friend finishes her study at Pivot Point, I am sure she will go far in this field and I would like to remain her client. But I will miss the fun, competitive atmosphere of this place. It was such a thrill watching them growing as professional hair designers!

Brittany, the student aesthetician, is phenomenally professional, thorough and efficient. For a very young girl, she exudes hope and promise to rise in her vocation. I sincerely hope she meets her dream of being a spa OWNER!!! (Get that business AA at community college doll!)
First day I had Hard Wax! Loved it! Underarms, brows and cheeks. No irritation and efficiently explained the product and process to me.
Second day, so nice I had to go back twice, I had the Signature Facial. One full hour of pampering. She wasnt chatty or timid. I fell asleep!
The Instructor checked in just enough during both services. She gave the student her expert advice on how to tend my middle aged, moled, black skin. She understood that my skin is SENSITIVE folk! unlike other salons who freak out or try to get me to have my moles excised! Skin feels fabulous.
BTW, I will hydrate more and exfoliate daily! I will stop by weekly until Brittany graduates, just to encourage her. I understand that the student’s grade depends on the number of signatures or services they successfully perform. I am going back next for lip waxing… body wrap… underarm wax next month… and if nothing more, full mineral make up a couple of times. What better way to invest in the life of a young entreprenure

I went to Pivot Point back in February when they were having a mani/​pedi promotion for Valentine’s. On the day I went, I only had time to get the pedicure so I was told they would put a note on the record and I could go get the manicure later. Given that I travel often, I was not able to call and schedule the appointment until mid-​April. When I called, I was told that, although my record had the note, too much time had passed and they could not honor the service. Excuse me??? I already paid for the service!!! I asked for the manager to call me back, and I’m still waiting. Needless to say, I have no desire on going back to a place that does not honor what they offer. And to top it off, the pedicure was not even that great, even though it was done by a student who was graduating within the week… I guess it serves me right for trying to go cheap.

I just got back from my facial appointment with Adam at Pivot Point and it was fantastic. I must admit I’ve only had a couple facials before and am apprehensive about someone looking at my face up close, etc., but thought I would take advantage of their 50% off special this month. I’m SO glad I did. Adam IS a student but is so knowledgeable and professional he put me right at ease. My facial was an hour long and he continually engaged me in conversation about what he was doing, why he was doing it, what type of skin I had, what type of products I should use, etc. We even had a few laughs! I can tell that he is very enthusiastic about his job and will make an exemplary career for himself when he finishes school.
A couple other things to note about the school… the students at the front desk were kind and friendly and Adam’s teacher introduced herself at the beginning of the facial and was in the room if needed. Probably the only down side to this experience is that the facials are all done in the same room (of course, this IS a school) wheras when I’ve had facials in the past, it was private. Otherwise, a great experience.

WORST mani-​pedi I’ve ever gotten — UNEVEN filing job, NO buffer, barely lukewarm water. so bad that I had to go to another salon immediately afterwards to completely redo the mani. I went in with perfectly rounded nails, which the ‘tech’ roughly filed into blunt squares, despite my request they stay round. both the mani and pedi were unbelievably SLOPPY — she kept on having to fix the edges and ultimately left excess color around multiple nails. no fast-​drying topcoat, took forever to dry.
save yourself from the trauma.

I came here for an updo, thinking how hard can it be to curl some hair and pin it back up. I have very fine silky hair but I was paired with African American student stylist who had no idea about fine hair. My updo was horrific I cried. The receptionist sent for the teacher who got someone else to redo my hair. They couldn’t fix it all because it would involve rewashing my hair and I didn’t have time for all that but they made it better. This time the teacher stayed around.
Why I will NEVER ever come here again:
1. Lack of experience by these students. A bad hair cut can shatter your world for months making you want to hide from the rest of humanity. These students spend most of their time practicing cutting hair on dolls. Unfortunately a doll does not complain or care if her haircut is ugly. These students should continue to work on the dolls and only the best should be allowed to work on real clients with LOTS of guidance from the instructor.
2. Student and client mismatch and lack of instructor guidance leads to a disaster.
3. Students are very slow. It took 2 hours for a simple updo mostly because students have hard time working the hairdryer and brush at the same time.
4. Drop combs on the floor and do not disinfect.
Come here at your own risk. Sometimes cheap things come out expensive and this will be one of them.

Got the Worst Haircut Ever here, and I am NOT picky about haircuts. I had to run to Omni Salon the next morning to salvage my head. The stylist at Omni looked at my hair, raised what should have been symmetrical sections from either side of my head to show me that there was about a difference in length by more than an inch in some places, and asked me what happened.
What happened: Nothing much, other than an incompetent stylist and, most importantly, a total lack of guidance from the instructor.
The stylist had no idea how to handle longer Asian hair (though her own hair was done in a stylish asymmetrical bob), which frankly is not that hard. The instructor appeared only twice across the 2 hours to tell her what to do, and never to check up on what she was doing once she got into it. I’ve been a guinea pig for stylists in training before* so I wasn’t nervous going into it, but I sure as hell became nervous when I saw several inches more than I’d asked to be cut off fall to the floor. I reminded her that I didn’t want that much off, and she just told me that it would look okay in the end (note: it didn’t) and kept going. I think she was pretty scared about not sticking to the instructor’s directions so she kept on with that, rather than using her own judgement on what would look acceptable.
I’m not proposing basing the competence of every stylist there on one experience alone. But aside from the student having no idea what to do, the instructor was nowhere to be seen through the whole process. Despite my having volunteered my head (actually, I paid $ 12) to contribute to the «educational experience,» the absence of the instructor made it clear that the student was just going to continue to give terrible cuts without ever learning or hearing her instructor’s feedback on the last one.
*To be fair, the other place I’ve gotten my hair cut by a student is at Bumble and Bumble U. Model Project in New York, which is a program that enrolls stylists who already have experience in salons but want special B&B certification. That session was 3 hours, but free, everyone was a hell of a lot nicer, and my head didn’t look like a wreck afterward. In contrast, Pivot Point stylists don’t necessarily have ANY experience, and they charge you $ 12 for a cut that is many, many times more likely to need severe correction.

Being a poor college student, this has been my place to go when I need a haircut.
Like any institute, however, one must approach with caution and be prepared to have your cut take much longer than it would at a regular salon. That’s not to say that they don’t do a nice job, but because they’re students they are very meticulous in their work in order to ensure success. The teachers are always right there to help them along the way, and I’ve always found the students to be very friendly and outgoing.
It’s also always a treat to watch other students practice and experiment with looks on the mannequins. Another bonus to visiting Pivot Point (aside from the discounts on services) is the cheaper products.
However, I do not recommend coming if you have really short hair that can be easily wrecked if not cut correctly, as my experience has been hit or miss in this area. When I first took the plunge and chopped all my hair off here, I absolutely LOVED the result. But a follow up cut a few months later (despite my bringing in a picture of what I wanted) left me with a style I could not get used to and have been trying to grow out ever since.
Though it generally does helps to bring in a picture of what you want.

It’s hard to find who the good stylist are. And I will not say that there are good and bad stylist. But the Salon is separated in beginning and senior stylist. If you have a stylist that can also do color they have been in the program long. If you have a stylist that can do perms color they have been in the salon the longest. I find that if you have patience you will get a great JOB! the reason they take so long is because they want the client to be satisfied with the service. I believe they do EXCELLENT COLOR and just need clear communication. They even have FREE hair cuts for 1^st time clients. Some students need models and those who make a request for a student will receive 50% off their services. It’s a great school VERY FORWARD and most of them will be working in a Salon charging $ 75 a hair cut within months. Take advantage!