How to Walk Into the Cosmetology State Board Exam with Confidence

by Jane A. Thompson, Licensed Cosmetologist & Former State Board Examiner

For most cosmetology students, the State Board Exam is the final hurdle — and it’s more intimidating than it needs to be. After years as both a practitioner and a board examiner, I’ve seen the same patterns trip candidates up again and again.

Here’s what I tell my students:

1. Sanitation comes first. Every service begins and ends with infection control. If you cut corners here, no skill can save you.

2. Don’t rush through the written. Many fail not because of knowledge gaps, but because they misread scenario-based questions. Slow down, highlight keywords, then answer.

3. Practice like it’s the real thing. Set up your kit exactly as you will for exam day. Examiners look for efficiency and safety — not flashy technique.

Confidence comes from preparation. The exam isn’t designed to trick you — it’s designed to test safe, standardized practice.

When students build their study routine with the right resources, their anxiety drops and their pass rate soars.

For a free set of 20 Cosmetology practice questions, you can check my prep resource below