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Ripoff Report | Boca Beauty Academy Review - Boca raton, Florida
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Report: #1092386

Complaint Review: Ripoff Report | Boca Beauty Academy TRUSTED BUSINESS | Ripoff Report Verified™ …businesses you can trust. Boca Beauty Academy licensed vocational school conferring diplomas in the fields of Electrolysis, Paramedical Esthetician, Cosmetology, Skin Care, Make-up & Skin Care, Massage & Spa Therapy, Nail Technology, Full Specialist, Make-up Artistry, Permanent Make-up, Microdermabrasion, and Instructor Training. Boca Beauty Academy strongly encourages out-of-state as well as international applicants to visit our ca - boca raton Florida

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  • Reported By: Wouldn't you like to know — Miami Florida
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  • Boca Beauty Academy TRUSTED BUSINESS | Ripoff Report Verified™ …businesses you can trust. Boca Beauty Academy licensed vocational school conferring diplomas in the fields of Electrolysis, Paramedical Esthetician, Cosmetology, Skin Care, Make-up & Skin Care, Massage & Spa Therapy, Nail Technology, Full Specialist, Make-up Artistry, Permanent Make-up, Microdermabrasion, and Instructor Training. Boca Beauty Academy strongly encourages out-of-state as well as international applicants to visit our ca 7820 Glades Rd. boca raton, Florida USA

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REVIEW UPDATE: November 20, 2018 Boca Beauty Academy remains committed to increased customer satisfaction and has improved their business practices over the years to better serve their customers. Boca Beauty Academy is truly dedicated to making sure their customers are satisfied and that any complaints which do arise are addressed promptly and fairly.

To date, Boca Beauty Academy has made good faith efforts to resolve all complaints reported on Ripoff Report. Based on our experience, the member business has proven to be among the top members of the Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program as a Verified Safe Business™.

Over time and since becoming a member, Boca Beauty Academy has remained actively engaged and improving the way they address customer service complaints. As an active and current member of the Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program we are happy to report that now more than ever Boca Beauty Academy remains committed to improving customer satisfaction.

Remember, no company or individual can ever satisfy 100% of the people 100% of the time. There are no products or services that will always be perfect for everyone and even the best companies will receive complaints from time to time. However, by participating in the Corporate Advocacy Program, the member business has made a commitment to working with its customers to resolve complaints quickly and fairly whenever possible.

Please keep in mind that as a consumer you have some responsibilities as well. Success has many definitions that based on your past experiences, current situation and your perceived expectations. Success with any product or service is always based on the proper application and understanding. The fastest car will not run if you never turn the engine on. Look at how you used the product or service that was provided in relation with the instructions that you received. The Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program will help you get your voice heard but please be prepared with documentation and fair representation of your concern, also have an idea of how the company can fix your concern. Can they offer additional services, extend warranties, offer a fair refund or just get you talking with someone that can help. ..let them know and let us know!

*Any consumer not receiving satisfaction from a member of the Corporate Advocacy Program should email us at editor@ripoffreport.com.

Ripoff Report Verified™ REVIEW

EDitor's UPDATE: Positive rating and recognition has been given to Boca Beauty Academy for its full commitment to quality customer service.

Ripoff Report's discussions with Boca Beauty Academy have uncovered an ongoing dedication by the company to total client satisfaction. This means that clients can expect that the company will work towards finding a mutually satisfactory resolution to any concerns. Boca Beauty Academy listens carefully to client concerns and sees them as an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and become more efficient as a company in the services offered and the support for those services.

Boca Beauty Academy's owner, Mr. Jack Bragin, has informed us that his personal philosophy is that his students career success are his personal mission. As a postsecondary learning institution, Mr. Bragin feels it is critical to listen to his students and for his administration to respond timely. By always putting his students customers first, Mr. Bragin hopes to maintain Boca Beauty Academy as the leading school for Beauty, Barber, Wellness, and Fitness in South Florida.

One of the things Ripoff Report learned in the course of its extensive review is that typical student feedback reads, "Boca Beauty Academy truly care about their students and do not operate like a typical bureaucratic school. Our evaluation disclosed a consistently high performance in job placement, and student graduation rates. We are very pleased with the responsiveness that the employees show us. They are serious about meeting commitments, and deliver their classes in a fun but highly structured, well organized classroom setting.


Boca Beauty Academy is Ripoff Report Verified
Ripoff Report Verified™ .. part of Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program.A program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business..



The information provided in this report below is based on comments made by Jack Bragin during an onsite inspection held by a third party verification company with no biases towards Boca Beauty Academy.

Boca Beauty Academy is a nationally accredited beauty and wellness school that has been in business for nearly three decades. Jack Bragin went on to state the following about their program, "we satisfy the vocational needs of the community in the spa, beauty, and wellness industry. We have been graduating people who occupy areas in the fields of laser hair removal, massage therapy, barbering, make up artistry, nail technology, also personal training, master fitness coach, and personal fitness coach. So it is really an amalgamation of the spa beauty and wellness sector." The graduates of Boca Beauty Academy become professionally licensed and qualify to sit for their state board examinations.

Leads for Boca Beauty Academy are primarily obtained through word of mouth, search engine management, and a lot of social media. Potential students interested in their services will initially meet with an authorized admissions representative. These admissions representatives have to take annual continuing education courses in order to work with Boca Beauty Academy. Once they have gone over the types of services they offer, "it is determined that they have a funding gap in order to be able to fund their education. They will be placed with a financial aid representative who will review their needs, determine if there are any scholarship opportunities available, and then we try to bridge that gap and see if are qualifies from a motivational standpoint and an academic standpoint to be successful at our institution."



CUSTOMER CARE & COMPLAINT RESOLUTION – BOCA BEAUTY ACADEMY

During the onsite inspection Mr. Bragin was asked to describe a situation where a student was not satisfied with the level of service or products they received. Mr. Bragin stated, "we do a lot of services on people from fixed income back grounds or low income back grounds where they come to our student clinic. Students have to perform a certain number of services on the public in order to meet their graduation criteria. They are students and some of them are learning. The reason they aren’t licensed professionals is they are learning along the way. Ultimately you are going to run into some individuals who expect a licensed performance, and are not as tolerant to people who are learning along the way."

While situations like this rarely occur Boca Beauty Academy is always willing to work with the patrons of their beauty school. Mr. Bragin went on to explain, "so typically what we try to do is a make good scenario if they identify that an issue has resulted and they come back that day or the next day we will color correct their hair, things like that and try to rectify the situation."

When asked to comment on the complaints posted on Ripoff Report's website Mr. Bragin stated the following, "if the opportunity was presented before someone took to the Internet we are going to jump through hoops to make sure that within reason they are accommodated. The unfortunate thing is that the vast major of cases people are just filled with emotion, and then they take to the Internet before it is escalated up to the right point. We do have a few layers of management where hopefully they would see the responsiveness, and if it got to me they would surely see responsiveness to at least try to accommodate them to the greatest point possible."

In order to assure future patrons Boca Beauty Academy is accreditation by the following: National Association of Sports Medicine, Florida State Massage Therapy Board, Florida Electrology Association.

When asked what type of changes they have made to honor their commitment to make things right with the consumer per the request of Ripoff Report, Mr. Bragin stated, "we put a more friendly enrollment agreement together which is the contract between the student and the institution that makes it more apparent. No printing on the back of the document. Bolding different areas that could perhaps could perhaps be something they could be confused about. So making a more consumer friendly contract between the two parties. And then also continuing to upgrade the level of quality of instructors. We are always interviewing and looking for a better bread of person to teach here."

Boca Beauty Academy is proud to be a part of Ripoff Reports Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program, "I think it is conducted in the proper fashion we can cure a lot of the ills that are out there. I think what it with hopefully, and ultimately do is mitigate the emotion and put the energy into some more constructive avenues to develop a common ground you can mediate as opposed to just people venting out of anger. This will at least channel the grievance to the appropriate level of senior management. And then we have an opportunity to meet them in the middle and that is all you can hope for in a conflict."



BOCA BEAUTY ACADEMY- STATEMENTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO – JACK BRAGIN

" We are the preeminent Nationally Accredited post-secondary institution in South Florida for Beauty/Barber, Spa, Wellness, and Fitness related Diploma programs. Boca Beauty Academy is one of only 20 recognized master Vidal Sassoon Partner schools in the United States. In addition, they are the official MAC makeup school, OPI school of Nails, and Pevonia school of Esthetics, and are accredited by the National Association of Sports Medicine.

Each campus is located on a picturesque setting directly off the highway in a safe, secure campus environment. Boca Beauty Academy's It is abundantly clear that the Faculty and Administration of this school are deeply concerned with ensuring high student satisfaction. An open door policy was observed leading all the way up to senior management and ownership. Boca Beauty Academy takes employee satisfaction seriously as well. Employee feedback and surveys reveal comments such as this, "It was observed and reported that Management has recently undertaken a sophisticated student survey system which provides ongoing feedback on student satisfaction. This process begins from the moment the student meets with Admissions and Financial Aid , during the course of their studies, and upon graduation. The school provides a wide variety of student assistance such as Financial Aid Available to those who Qualify, VA Educational Benefits, I-20 Non-immigrant Student Visas, access via Florida Prepaid and Bright Futures, amongst many other Scholarship Programs. An extensive upgrade to senior management has also occurred which has elevated the level of professionalism and responsiveness of the organization."

Ripoff Report was pleased to learn that Boca Beauty Academy's past and current approach to business is focused on its pledge to total commitment towards client and employee satisfaction.



STATED IMPROVEMENTS FROM BOCA BEAUTY ACADEMY

Boca Beauty Academy recognizes that complaints posted on Ripoff Report (whether true or not) are issues that need to be addressed, not ignored. If handled correctly, complaints can be valuable learning opportunities. With the feedback generated by Ripoff Report's review, Boca Beauty Academy has made organizational changes allowing its clients and employees a more streamlined approach to problem resolution and a commitment to a great client experience.

In summary, after our review, which included discussions with Jack Bragin, Ripoff Report is convinced that Boca Beauty Academy is committed to quality delivery of services resulting in total client satisfaction.



How does a business get Ripoff Report Verified™

The member business allows Ripoff report to email everyone from the past. Those who respond to Ripoff report with a valid complaint must be take care of.. they have made a commitment that if anyone contacts Ripoff Report in the future, they will make things right within 14 days. The member business must err on the side of their customers. Otherwise the member business is off the program.

Ripoff Report has determined that Boca Beauty Academy meets Ripoff Report Verified™ standards which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. Members of the Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction program do pay a fee for our on-site review, 24 hour monitoring and for support with customers to resolve any disagreements.

Ripoff Report sends a 3rd party service to do an onsite inspection of the new member business. The on-site inspection / review does not mean that the products or services offered by the business have been evaluated or endorsed by Ripoff Report, and has not made a determination as to the business' product quality or competency in performing services.

We can verify, that Ripoff Report went to the business, verified their business or “work from home business”, there for, if a customer in the future does not get treated correctly, Ripoff Report can get the problem resolved. If not, and the customers is right, the member business will be taken off the Corporate Advocacy Program. Remember, Ripoff Report emailed every customer from the past that filed a complaint to make sure the member business made things right with customers from the past. Again, to err on the side of their customer, those from the past and those in the future.

Read more about why consumers should feel confident when doing business with a member of Ripoff Report's Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program. Yes, it’s a long name for a program that does a lot for both consumers and businesses alike.

Read about Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program, a program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business. This program works.

As a matter of policy, when a business becomes a member of the Corporate Advocacy Program they agree to allow Ripoff Report to contact every client who filed a complaint so they can make things right with them. In order to confirm that the complaints were resolved, Ripoff Report is copied on all responses so we can insure that the member business did right by their customer.

NOW TO THE ORIGINAL REPORT THAT WAS FILED

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Boca Beauty Academy, Mrs. Lettie and Chris Barry boca raton Florida

ABOUT THE RIPOFF REPORT BELOW:


Ripoff Report would like to let readers know that Ripoff Report emailed this customer so the member business could make things right with them. When a business joins the Corporate Advocacy Program, Ripoff Report emails everyone from the past so the member business can make things right with them. Of course, everything within reason. In order to confirm that the complaints were resolved, Ripoff Report is copied on all responses so we can insure that the member business did right by their customer. The author of the Ripoff Report below never responded to our offer to help them.


STATEMENT FROM BOCA BEAUTY ACADEMY:


Our Program clearly states online and in all media including our school catalogue the class is called Laser Hair Removal. We do sympathize with the author whom claims that when she was 18 she "woke up with 2 pistols tattooed on her hips". This fact notwithstanding, NOTHING in our program descriptions indicates that we teach the removal of tattoos in this class. Lasers can be used for a myriad of different applications but the one we focus upon is exclusively for hair removal. While the author repeatedly attests to being young and naïve, we are pleased with her praise for many of our staff as well as our fun atmosphere , "less like a jail" although personally we have never been inside of one!


NOW TO THE ORIGINAL REPORT THAT WAS FILED


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      I moved to florida over two years ago, with the intent to remove tattoos with a laser!! Being young and naive at the time, it didn't occur to me that every state has different laws for different medical services.  I did some research (but apparently not enough), in schools that offer laser courses. I chose Boca Beauty because the staff seemed friendly, it seemed like a fun atmosphere and less like a jail, which many of the other schools seemed like.


     I could dig into my paperwork and give you exact dates, but I don't think that is necessary right now until I get a lawyer involved.. but about two years ago when I went to take a tour of the school, Chris Barry was the administrative director at the time and gave me the tour of the school, as well as my boyfriend who was with me who will be my witness in court.  He adamantly told me that BBA definitely offered a laser tattoo and hair removal course.  Upon lying to my face about that, he also told me that i would need to take the skin care class first, in order to learn about skin (which made sense to me,) and then take a 600 hour long electrology course, as required by the state of Florida Law, before I could take the 30 hour laser course- which mind you, was maybeee 20 hours tops, they let us go early each day, which at the time was great because 10 hours a day over my entire weekend SUCKED, and is too much of an overload of information for the brain to comprehend if you ask me.


     I completed the Skin Care class, and also signed up for microdermabrasion, and chemical peels classes, and the Permanent Make up class, because I became very interested in the whole skin and beauty industry as a whole.  But still, my main passion was to remove tattoos, and I'll briefly tell you why- I also told Chris this upon signing up- When I was 18, to put it vaguely, I woke up with two pistols tattood on my hips.  I HATED THEM. I immediately thought of laser tattoo removal, and decided to give it a shot. I figured, if it didnt completely work maybe it would atleast lighten them enough to get something better to cover them. Needless to say it worked, it worked AMAZINGLY, and right then and there since i was 19 I wanted to do that for a living.  I dropped out of my University in which I kept switching my major and wasting my own money because I couldn't decide what I wanted to do.  I then bartended for a while and moved to Florida to persue my career and live the beach life, because California was too expensive ;] .


    I saved up enough money to move and finance the school (Boca Beauty) and began classes. Back to the part where I said I completed Skin Care... I then began the Electrology course, in which the teacher, Melanie, was INCREDIBLE- this woman deserves an award!!! She really, truly cares about her students and that each and every one of them understands the material, she goes out of her way to make our day special, even when she's sick.  But I'm getting off track here.  During this class I started hearing that all Electrologists could do in Florida was Laser Hair Removal- that only a nurse or a Physician's Assistant could perform laser tattoo removal. By this time Chris Barry was fired. But of course I wasn't allowed to know why. That's where Mrs. Lettie comes in. She took over his position. 


    I began to freak out, and would constantly (we're talking once a week here..) ask Mrs. Lettie if we would be learning about tattoo removal during the 30 hour laser course and she repeatedly told me yes, yes you will. When I confronted her with the confusing FL Law online, she read to me while pointing it out to me "See here? It says you can do it as long as you are under supervision of a licensed professional. Tons of my students here have graduated and gone on to do tattoo removal."  I then recorded her, with her permission of course, (which was dumb on her part) to ensure that I would be able to later take this to court if I were not taught laser tattoo removal, and unable to find a job doing so.


      I now have a doctor who bought a laser machine for me and was going to give me a room in his facility and allow me to do laser tattoo and hair removal, but he wanted me to tripple check with the florida department of health and board that I could perform such procedures without him hovering over my soulder persay, but as long as he were in the building. I contacted Kim Tillery, head of the board of Electrology who then told me no, you absolutely CANNOT perform laser tattoo removal, it is illegal.  


     So now I'm livid... and am going to find every negative review ever posted on the internet about boca beauty, contact these individuals, as well as many other students I went to school with that had tons of complaints like "they never helped me with job placement" and so on.. and file a class action lawsuit.   And that girl is absolutely correct, they did NOT help us find jobs upon graduation, I received a call almost a year later from some guy named James, who apparently took the place of Mrs. Lettie, asking if I had found a job yet or not and if I needed help. I laughed at him because at the time I did have a job already that I found on my own.


    One last thing, that is only a couple complaints I have about the school... I could go on and on about Mrs. Lettie whom guided me in RUINING a woman's face because she did not teach me proper technique during the permanent make up class, which is now taught by actual professionals that don't work for BBA.


    If anyone reading this has had problems with boca beauty and wants to persue the class action lawsuit against them with me and the others I already have involved, please comment with your email or some way for me to contact you. Thanks.

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
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#4 General Comment

please contact me

AUTHOR: jessica91 - ()

POSTED: Monday, September 01, 2014

 I am a current student at BBA and am having several issues. I spoke to the board of education who did not further hear my side of the story after the owner of the school had wrote a letter completely lieing about all of my issues. I want this school to go down. They are a rip off, they have no structure at all, they lie to your face, their teaching is awful. I am really trying to do something about this god awful school. 

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#3 Author of original report

WRONG.

AUTHOR: The girk. - ()

POSTED: Sunday, April 27, 2014

You completely disregarded what I was making a complaint about - which was that two of your *no longer employed* staff members lied to my face and told me repeatedly that I would be taught at BBA and could do laser hair removal in Florida.  I was 18 years old, yes it was my fault I did not read the entire course book word for word. I was still lied to and lead to believe I would get something I couldn't legally have or do in florida.  Christopher Barry and Leticia Valesquez- aka Miss Lettie- the woman who was in charge and running the school for years!!! And please tell me why it took you MONTES to reply to this? Jack - you are a true embarrassment to the school you own. And you just lost the BEST attribute you had- Melanie Tenenbaum. And then to top this all off, one of your newest *constantly going* managing staff offered ME her job!!! Hahaha- The girl who almost sued you guys and would have if I had the money, or if the other students whom originally said they would speak in court didn't back out because of laziness! Congratulations- you've got a few good things left- Tammy, Doreen Lindgren, don't mess those up! Hope you can pick yourself back up off your feet, I know times are hard these days so I will just go ahead and assume that's why you hire anyone who can make a sale- Clean or dirty. 

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#2 REBUTTAL Owner of company

Clarification of Laser Hair Removal

AUTHOR: Integrity is our #1 Priority - ()

POSTED: Monday, March 31, 2014

This student was evidently pleased with our institution. In her own words, she became very interested in the whole skin and beauty industry after taking our skin care classes.

Furthermore, we are pleased that she selected our institution, because in her words-it seemed like "fun atmosphere".

The complainant also raved about our Electrolysis educator -she said she "loved the teacher" and that she was "incredible'.

Despite all the foregoing information, the complainant is very frustrated because of the laws in the rather complex area of laser hair removal.

To clarify, with a few limited exceptions ( ie. Nurses, Physician Assistants,etc) taking Electrolysis is indeed a prerequisite in order to practice laser hair removal in the state of Florida.

In order to practice laser hair removal , there is a 30 hour Continuing Education class required ,in laser hair removal. It is referred to by this name in all materials. Nowhere do we refer to this as a tatoo removal class.

We do recognize that the laws can sometimes be difficult to interpret. As a result, we would always suggest one seek counsel to render an appropriate professional opinion. But it is eminently clear in this case that the student took a class entitled laser hair removal and nowhere in our literature or class descriptions is there an indication that Tatoo Removal is part of the curriculum.

 

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#1 General Comment

Please contact me

AUTHOR: Meryl - ()

POSTED: Tuesday, October 22, 2013

I am also a graduate of BBA, and feel this school is a total rip-off and was lied to as well by Misleady and Chis.  I was pursueded to take additional courses and was only given 1 day classes on these certifications I received and then NEVER got to practice what I was taught. Ii was also promised placement upon graduation.  Misleidy did not file for my lisence upon completion of my course immediately and had to press her till she finally did.  They sent me on 3 interviews knowing the companies required me to rent space, which was not the information given to me to before the interview, and then told by Misleidy this is the norm in the industry as instruction in class which was a totally false statement. I have also been informed by another past student that many of the reviews on their website were coached by teachers and administraters to be positive.  I feel this school was an an utter waste of my time and money and still have not secured a position in the esthetics field.  I am very interested in pursuing a a class action suit and would like to be contacted by anyone on this network as well who would like to move forward with me on this matter.  Please contact me at mkowlowitz@aol.col.com

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