Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Fountain of Youth Academy of Cosmetology's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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Fountain of Youth Academy of Cosmetology has 2 locations, listed below.

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  Fountain of Youth Academy of Cosmetology

  5824 Forbes Ave Squirrel Hill, PA 15217-1646

• 

  Fountain of Youth Academy of Cosmetology

  616 Lincoln Ave Ste 4 Pittsburgh, PA 15202-3427

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/08/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I'm a student attending Fountain of Youth Academy of Cosmetology and I have reason to believe the school is fraudulently using the student's financial aid funding. There's public records about the school's ****, ** location being involved in fraud in the past which resulted in the school being permanently shutdown. I've been attending the school from 06/17/2024-12/16/2024 and I was awarded $11,959.57 in financial aid, my Cosmetology program cost $21,289, and the school has used $11,860.57 to cover the cost of my time enrolled in the program. I reached out to the student services Ms. **** and financial aid advisor **** **** to put in a request for my transcript and to submit my grades on 01/6/2025. I told them I needed my transcript by 01/9/2025 and was told to reach out to ******* who handles transcript. I emailed her and she stated she would reach out to ***** ****** who owns the school. **** and ***** called me to let me know my transcript wouldn't be ready, I have a balance of $8,835, and they can't release my transcript until the balance is paid. I stated that I shouldn't have a balance if financial aid covered my enrollment from 06/17/2024-12/16/2024. He stated based on the enrollment contract I need to finish 70% to get my transcript and to request more financial aid. I told him that 70% would be completing the program and I want to transfer. I'm not requesting anymore financial for the school. ***** suggested I complete the program and stay at her school. I told I'd rather transfer. Based on the calculations on my student portal the school has been paid through financial aid $11,959.57, used $11,860.57, and the amount of financial aid remaining is $99. ***** is refusing to give me my transcript stating I still owe money which isn't true. I've reached out to FAFSA and was told to file a complaint so an investigation and audit can be done to figure out if she's fraudulently using my financial aid. The complaint was filed 01/6/2025. I have everything documented.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/13/2025

  This student was told accurate truths about her contract.  She doesnt like what she was told.  
  

  Not that I need to say this as you can look it all up - but the *********** was not shut down and there has never been any fraud. 
  

  Feel free to take her contract with anything she uploaded to your legal counsel to verify.   
  

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/14/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
   
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/15/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  School is a scam will string you along and make you sign loan papers on orientation but she does not do orientation so she passes the buck off on instructors and they have no idea what they are giving you in a packet. My issue is I have been going here since June 24” she has my students loans being held for no reason, her reasoning is “all students get funded after graduation” before they told me I would receive MY STUDENT LOANS AT 485hrs. Which is a place holder while I’m in school. She uses the money we pay for school to fund her life and her own salon, that she basically keeps from the students. She literally takes from the school for her salon. We use to have this mirror in the hall that is not in her salon. We don’t even have a kitchen, we have a microwave and tables. She will not get ventilation installment so we have to use odorless monomers which everyone complains about using because it’s so runny and hard to dry quick. We pay money to learn and get kits that can help us, that is not the case here. My kit looks like the items came from dollar tree. Everyone gets different things. She makes you take the kits even if you do not want them. The school has been paid off since august so I’m not sure why she is holding my STUDENT LOANS THAT I HAVE TO PAY BACK! Oh and beware they will block you! I have been blocked from the financial advisor(her ex husband) since August! Also, she never had an financial advisor before I confronted her about it, she was in charge. He also told me he can not give me any documentation because all the student’s documentation is together on a spreadsheet… which is illegal? I’m just very concerned that I used my funding the wrong way with this school and now they won’t give my money that I have to pay back. She preys on people she thinks she can get over on. Sad to say but legal will be getting involved

  Business Response

  Date: 10/22/2024

   

  Ms ******’s portrayal of the school is inaccurate.  Our academy is audited for the Federal government every year. Ms ****** should concentrate on completing her education so she may graduate and get her licenses.
  

  This student has sent to the financial aid and administrator offices over 450 emails, texts and phone calls.  Harassment is illegal. 

  1. Please explain if/when the consumer's funding will be released to her.

  Her funding should it be determined that she has any as she quit the program and her funding may be returned to their sources  

  
  2.  Please address the consumer's concerns regarding the lack of ventilation, lack of access to a full kitchen and the poor quality of products used/received.

  we are a school not a restaurant.  All parts of everything she says is a lie. 
  

  3.  Please address the consumer's claim that she has been denied access to her financial advisor.

  she has sent the office over 400 texts, emails and phone calls.  No access has been denied  

  
  4.  Please address the consumer's concern regarding a spreadsheet of shared student information.

  If we are talking about the ledger screenshot - she has not completed her program and funding may be going back  we have contacted OVR and our Financial Aid Experts and they confirmed that our policies are correct   
  

   

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/31/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  ***** ****** had put down on my application that i wasnt living at home and i live at home with my mother. she told me i would be getting $9,000 back of free money. she told me to do the ovr application because of my health issues so i would get more free money. came and found out that the 9,000$ was coming from the ovr. ***** stated that i would be getting a check every week after my 30 days in school . the check amount was gonna be $450.00 every week. she also stated that if i was late to school that i would had to pay for $250.00 everyweek for being late. im also scared because ***** ****** has my social security number. its alot of red flags ive notice and i didnt even start the cosmetology classes.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/10/2023

  My response is that her complaint is all untrue.  ****** shared with me her health challenges which I then shared with her the OVR agency that does give free grant money to students that qualify.  Typically for the cosmetology program they give close to $9,000 and it is free.   The academy has nothing to do with their approval process.  I was only trying to help ******.  All of everything else she was imagining I said was false.   I know she has a lot on her mind right now and I do wish her well.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/15/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
   
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ****** ****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/09/2022

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This school has scammed me and took extra loans out on me .

  Business Response

  Date: 03/13/2024

  It is IMPOSSIBLE to take ‘extra’ loans out.  Everything relating to loans is done through FAFSA.  Students have to verify themselves using their personal phone numbers and email addresses to secure access.  There would be no way for a school to do that.  This student’s claim is false.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/13/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  
   
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/09/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I was a student that attended upon graduation I was told that I owed $2800.00. I paid that balance thru the third party service TFC paid in full, when I tried to get my paperwork work to take my state boards I got a hard time from the fountain of youth stating that I owed another $2500.00 but this was not documented threw the third party company stating such. ***** the owner of the school told me that all payments could be made directly to her not TFC and that’s when I could receive my transcripts to take my state boards. As of today I still have not received my transcripts one year later.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/13/2024

  ***** finally paid her bill in full and her transcripts were sent to the testing site as was standard at that time with a check (Pearson Vue has us upload them now).  Her Pearson Vue application number is written on the academy cancelled check (attached).  We did what is protocol for this student- why she hasn’t taken her test and is making complaints is unknown to me.  I can not take her test for her.   This former student’s claim is false.