Here are short, sourced summaries of cosmetology schools that have campuses in Elgin and/or Rockford, with the main positives and common complaints from recent public reviews.

1. Cosmetology & Spa Academy — Elgin and Rockford campuses

• Overview: This chain lists both an Elgin campus and a Rockford campus that offer cosmetology, barbering, and spa programs and student-run salon/spa services. The school posts average campus review scores on its site: Elgin ~4.2/5 (about 35 reviews) and Rockford ~3.4/5 (about 45 reviews). (cosmetologyandspaacademy.edu)
• What reviewers praise: low-cost student services (hair, facials, waxing), friendly students/instructors on many appointments, and hands-on training opportunities for students. (cosmetologyandspaacademy.edu)
• Common complaints: some reviews and employee posts mention inconsistent quality between students/instructors, occasional facility or supply issues, and reports of poor management or uneven student support at certain campuses. (see school testimonials, Indeed staff reviews). (cosmetologyandspaacademy.edu)

2. Tricoci University of Beauty Culture — Rockford campus

• Overview: Tricoci has a Rockford campus (5485 E State St). Public review aggregates (Niche, Google/Yelp listings) show generally positive client and student comments overall, with many satisfied clients of student-run services and multiple favorable student testimonials; Niche lists an overall ~4.0/5 from several student reviews. Community listings show many Google/Yelp reviews reporting good results. (Niche.com)
• What reviewers praise: welcoming environment, instructors who help students, consistently good student services (haircuts, color, facials) reported by many clients. (Niche.com)
• Common complaints: a minority of students/parents report uneven instructor turnover, disorganization in some classes, and concerns about the cost vs. perceived preparation — common themes in a few Niche/user posts. (Niche.com)

Notes and tips for choosing between them

• Read multiple sources (Google, Yelp, Niche, and the schools’ own testimonials) because school-posted reviews tend to be more positive; independent review platforms show more variety of experiences. For Cosmetology & Spa Academy, the school posts campus ratings on its site but there are also employee complaints on Indeed that you should factor in. (cosmetologyandspaacademy.edu)
• If possible, visit the campuses in person, sit in on a class, and request graduate placement/job-placement data and state board pass rates (these are the most important objective measures of program quality). Public review pages and the schools’ admissions offices should be able to provide state board/pass-rate info on request.
• For current, location-specific feedback, check the latest Google and Yelp reviews for each campus (these change frequently). I can look up the most recent Google/Yelp ratings and latest reviewer comments for the specific Elgin and Rockford campus pages if you’d like — tell me which campus(es) you want the freshest reviews for and I’ll fetch them.

Sources (examples consulted)

• Cosmetology & Spa Academy — Elgin & Rockford campus pages and testimonials. (cosmetologyandspaacademy.edu)
• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture — Rockford reviews (Niche, Map/Chamber of Commerce/Yelp extracts). (Niche.com)
• Indeed — employee reviews mentioning campus/management concerns for Cosmetology & Spa Academy. (Indeed.com)

Would you like me to fetch the latest Google and Yelp star ratings and the most recent reviewer comments for the Elgin and Rockford campuses now?